UMO men picked 3rd in preseason indoor track poll

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 16, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

HIGH POINT -- A fourth-place effort in the season-ending Conference Carolinas championship meet 2013 has fueled a burning desire in the University of Mount Olive men's indoor track and field team.

The Trojans exited disappointed.

Even a No. 5 ranking in the final USTFCCCA Division II Southeast Region poll didn't sit well with coach Matt van Lierop's squad.

"The team was dissappointed with its performance last year, and they're all looking for redemption," van Lierop said.

League coaches predicted UMO to claim third place in the 2014 Conference Carolinas poll released Wednesday morning. The Trojans garnered one first-place nod and 26 total points.

Defending champion King (Tenn.) University is picked to repeat, while Limestone (S.C.) College is selected second. Each team received three first-place votes, but the Tornado finished with a 33-32 edge in total points.

North Greenville ended up fourth. Belmont Abbey, Lees-McRae and Barton completed the seven-team poll.

"I believe the men's championship will be a tighter race than the polls reveal," van Lierop said. "We may not be ranked first in the polls, but the competition will have to bring it on race day to beat us this year."

UMO is coming off of its best cross country season in school history. The talent of the distance program, led by sophomores Dylan Lafond and Aki Kitigawa, is deep.

Lafond earned the 2013 Conference Carolinas men's indoor track and field freshman-of-the-year. Kitigawa collected all-Conference Carolinas accolades along with stalwart field performer Nick MacAdam.

MacAdam picked up the league's scholar athlete-of-the-year award.

"The sprints/jumps squad is looking to surprise this year with the addition of top talent from around the world," van Lierop said. "Newcomers Karl Goodman, AJ Edwards, Angus Sinclair and Cedric Thomas are all a part of a phenomenal recruiting class that has the potential to rewrite the Mount Olive record books."

Cameron Braswell and Donavann Thornton, and newcomer Marc Ferguson, will "continue to be the strong backbone of this program," van Lierop said.

UMO opens the season Jan. 25 at the Tar Heel Open, which is hosted by the University of North Carolina.