“The leadership and experience we have returning this season will help steer a very raw freshman class with the potential to transform Creighton Cross Country,” said Davis.

Standout seniors Molly Jergenson and Melissa Greig will look to set the pace for the Creighton women this fall. Jergenson was the team's top runner in all eight races last season, including a title at the Reiver Run. She'll be counted on for her running skills as well as unparalleled leadership off the course throughout the fall. Greig returns from injury-plagued sophomore and junior seasons and could be one of the top finishers for the Jays.

Three other juniors who regularly finished in the team's top five a year ago are also back; Aubrey Inman, Carleen O'Brien and Ashley Altrichter. Inman was CU's second-best finisher in all but one meet last season and is once again expected to be an integral part of the team.

Celeste Lorenzo also returns after not competing for the Jays last season. Lorenzo had several performances in her 2007 campaign that would have made her Creighton's top runner a year ago and her return could boost the Bluejay line-up in a major way.

Other returning competitors include junior Lily Kaftan and the sophomore quintet of Elizabeth Timberlake, Genna Alander, Ally Lynn, Molly Miller and Ellen Fisher.

Graduated senior Mary Foley is the lone woman to race on last year's team not on the 2009 roster.

Ten newcomers join the CU women's program, a class headlined by junior Jackie Parker and freshmen Hannah Connealy and Kara Telfer. Parker joined the team last winter after transferring in from Gonzaga, where she did not compete. She showed tremendous promise on the track in the spring and could be a dark horse in the competition for a spot among the team's top three during her first ever cross country season. Connealy set five school records (2 mile, mile, 800, 400, triple jump) at Mullen (Neb.) High School and had her run at an unbeaten senior season of cross country only thwarted at the state meet. Connealy was an eight-time state medalist, including a pair of 800-meter state titles, where she owns a personal-best time of 2:19. Telfer placed 13th at the Iowa state cross country meet last fall, a season in which she set a 4,000 meter personal record of 15:27. She qualified for state in the 3,000 meters three times (finishing third in 2008) and in the 1,500 meters on four occasions (finishing fourth as a senior). She's run times of 4:53 for the 1,500 and 10:56 for the 3,000 in the past.

The Bluejay men also have an abundance of experience this fall, as nine of the top 10 runners return. Sophomore Chris Culhane heads the charge after making a splash during his debut season. Culhane was CU's top finisher in each of his first six meets with the program, including a second-place finish at the Reiver Run last September. Culhane is still making his way back from a summer injury and likely won't be competing for the Jays until October.

Junior Jared Dittman finished with a flurry last fall and will push Culhane stride for stride. Dittman was CU's top finisher at each of the last two meets of the year after consistently running in the No. 2 position prior to that. He is expected to pick up where he left off last season as the team leader. Another contender to run in that lead pack is sophomore Stephen VanGampleare. VanGampleare was a top-three team finisher in all eight meets last fall and should only improve with another year of experience under his belt.

Sophomore Chris Boitano, Evan Daugherty and Casey Jergenson should also contend for a spot in the race for the top-seven after having solid debut seasons a year ago. Other returners include Liam Dawson, Mitchell Knutson, Ben McAnany and Zach Fuller. Dan Barnett also returns to the course after not competing for CU last fall.

Seven newcomers will give the team some new blood and only increase the competitive level of the program. Bellevue East product Mike Hitt ranked among the area's top distance runners last spring and was the Metro Conference runner-up in both the 1,600 and 3,200 last year. He owns a top 3,200 meter time of 9:49 and top 1,600 meter time of 4:30. Tom Shimp arrives after a successful career at Midland High School in Varna, Ill. Shimp was a three-time all-conference cross country runner and twice was his team's top runner at the state meet. Also a two-time team MVP, he was elected a team captain as a senior. He is believed to be the first male athlete from Midland HS to sign a Division I letter-of-intent. Last but certainly not least, Mike Neisius earned four letters in both cross country and track and was a three-time qualifier for the state meet. He was a two-time all-Kansas City metro area honorable-mention selection and posted personal bests of 16:22 for 5,000 meters and 1:59 for 800 meters.

Creighton opens the season with its lone home meet of the fall when it competes at the CU/UNO Invitational on Sept. 5. That meet will take place at Chili Greens Golf Course, with the men's race starting at 8 am and the women's race at 8:45 am.