USCB coach has high hopes for women's cross country team

Larry Kimball knows his USC Beaufort women's cross country team has more talent than ever, and he's eager to see just how deep that talent runs on race day.

Kimball will get that chance tonight, when the Sand Sharks open their season at the Gamecock Invitationalat Columbia's Fort Jackson. Ten teams and several individuals are set to run in the five-kilometer races, with the men running at 6:30 p.m. and the women at 7 p.m.

For the past couple of years, the men's team has been the headliner for Kimball's squad, but a combination of continuity, recruiting and serendipity has bolstered the women's squad.

"I'm really excited about our women's team," Kimball said. "We were fourth in the conference last year and we are much, much improved. We've got depth and we've got numbers. As my old coach used to say, if you have good quantity, the quality will take care of itself."

With 13 women on the roster, Kimball certainly hopes that adage holds true.

Captains Katie Mock, Selena Hutson and Kristine Grannan are back to lead the way, and they're joined in the top seven by sophomore Jessica Brown and freshmen Caitlin Howe, Vannica Williams and Kari Lavoie.

Mock is the team's lone returning national qualifier.

Howe represents the serendipity -- the former Beaufort High runner intended to attend school in London this year, but when those plans fell through, she landed at USCB and hit the ground running -- literally.

"She's been the biggest surprise," Kimball said. "She's running right along with Katie and Selena in our top three."

Kimball fully expects to see several other runners making a case for a spot in the starting lineup when his full team runs tonight in Columbia.

"We've got some other people who are pushing," Kimball said. "It's a real tight group, and the leadership of our captains has really been instrumental in the team's development."

The depth on the men's side took a hit when the Sand Sharks lost two national qualifiers in the offseason -- Nic Tones transfered to Clemson to finish his engineering degree, and Steven Wilson is academically ineligible, Kimball said.

But the Sand Sharks are still strong at the top with former Bluffton High School stars Marshall Meyer, Frank Tinsley and Tommy Reeves, who have been running 80 to 100 miles per week throughout the summer and are in "tremendous shape," Kimball said.

John Critchlow, a national qualifier two years ago, is also back but might not be available to run tonight, Kimball said.

Juniors Ian Evans and John Stanas are running well and competing for the fifth spot.