Clayton State Adds Three to Men’s Cross Country
Signees include transfers from Oklahoma City
MORROW, Ga. – July 17, 2012 – The Clayton State University men’s cross country program has signed three additions to strengthen the squad for the upcoming fall season. The Lakers add an international flavor to the team with signees from Ireland and Kenya while two of the signees were teammates last season at Oklahoma City University.
“I believe the guys we are adding to this year’s team will make us stronger to compete in the Peach Belt Conference and Southeast Region,” said Laker head coach Mike Mead. The 2011 squad finished third in the Peach Belt championship meet following three consecutive seasons as the conference’s runner-up.
The Lakers’ top runner the past four years has hailed from Kenya -- Fidelis Mutiso & Albert Mong’ony --and it was only fitting to find a replacement for Mong’ony who completed his eligibility last season. Mead hopes that newcomer Job Kemboi will continue the team’s Kenyan streak. Kemboi will be a freshman who hails from Eldoret, Kenya and plans to major in Health & Fitness Management at Clayton State.
“Job has the potential to come in and have an immediate impact on our team,” said Mead. “He has run around 26:30 for 8-K and low 15 for 5-K. It just depends how quickly he can adjust to a new climate, culture and training regiment.”
The two transfers from Oklahoma City include junior Ciaran Lane and sophomore Matthew Bailey. Lane, who hails from Dunganan, Ireland, will major in Health & Fitness Management. Bailey is a native of Kent, Wash. and will major in communications.
Lane spent one season at OCU where he was the No. 2 runner and turned in a season-best 26:52 for 8K. Bailey, relatively new to cross country, was a Top 5 runner for OCU and ran a career-best 28:05 for 8K.
“Ciaran gives us another runner who could challenge for the No. 1 spot on the team this fall,” said Mead. “He, along with Job, definitely makes us stronger among our Top 5. Matthew was a consistent runner last season at Oklahoma City and he’s only going to get better. These guys will just need some time to adjust to the humidity that beats up a runner not use to it.”
Clayton State’s 18th season of cross country opens in September. Details of the season schedule will be released in the coming week.
