Cross Country

Last season, the Cardinals boasted an impressive six NCAA All-Americans, including Allen and Yeast. Looking to build on this success, Franklin and his coaching staff have also brought in five additional athletes through the transfer portal during the offseason. These new additions will undoubtedly strengthen the team and provide valuable depth to the roster.

The end of the cross country season means that Vanroose and the rest of the Cardinals will now shift their focus to the indoor track & field campaign. Their next event will be the Rod McCravy Memorial Invite, scheduled for January 12-13.

Vanroose punched her ticket to the European Championships after a strong performance at the Belgian Cross Country Championships on November 19, where she finished in third place in the women’s junior race. This achievement has set the stage for a promising showing at the international level.

Hailing from Buggenhout, Belgium, Vanroose showcased her talent throughout the fall cross country season, competing in three meets for the Cardinals. Notably, she achieved a personal-best 6K time of 21:06.2 at the Arturo Barrios Invitational.

Vanroose, a freshman from Buggenhout, Belgium, will be competing in the Belgian Cross Country Championships on Sunday, November 19th in Hulshout, Belgium. She will be racing in the junior women’s race, which covers a distance of 5620 meters. The meet serves as a chance for athletes to qualify for the European Cross Country Championships, which will be held in Brussels on December 10th. Vanroose has had a successful season so far, with a personal-best 6K time of 21:06.2 at the Arturo Barrios Invitational.

The women’s 6K race will kick off the morning at 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by the men’s 10K race at 12:00 p.m. ET. Both teams will be looking to showcase their abilities in these challenging distances.

On December 2, the Cardinals will start the season with a split between the Commonwealth College Opener in Louisville and the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston, Massachusetts. After the new year, competition will resume with the Rod McCravy Memorial Invite on January 12-13 and the Bellarmine Open on January 19. The team will then host the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational on January 26-27.

Franklin comes with 16 years of experience as the head track and field/cross country coach at the University of New Mexico, where he helped bring the program to national prominence.