Hopes are high this fall in Cyclone country, as the Iowa State men’s cross country team begins its 1999 campaign Sept. 10th by hosting the ISU Open.

Kevin Bourke returns for his fourth year at the helm of the Cyclones with his team poised and ready to challenge for the Big 12 championship and a spot in the NCAA championships.

Gone are All-American David Lichora and conference place-winner Sam Magu.

Both seniors were instrumental to the success ISU achieved last season ,and their talent, along with their leadership, will be sorely missed.

But their departure has not left the cupboard bare for Bourke in ’99.

“If we stay healthy, a top-three finish at the Big 12 championship and a return to the NCAA championships should definitely be within our reach,” Bourke said. “It is also important that we get some of our runners experience at the NCAAs, because with next year’s championships coming here to Ames, we have a legitimate chance of placing high in 2000.”

Returning to help achieve the Cyclone’s goals for ’99 is lone senior Philemon Too.

The veteran Too returns for his last year after enjoying much success from a productive 1998 campaign.

The Kenya native garnered all-conference honors a year ago by placing fourth at the conference championship and looks to build on that success for continued excellence in 1999.

Meanwhile, newcomers Daniel Kinyua and Chris Francois have Bourke anxious to get the ’99 season underway.

Kinyua, another of the four Kenyans on the team, is a transfer student from Mt. St. Mary’s in Maryland.

This five-time Division I All-American will be a great asset to an already-strong team, and his experience in big races will make make him a valuable teacher for the younger members of the squad.

The other newcomer, Francois, is coming off a brilliant prep career at Davenport North, where he was a two-time cross country state champion.

He will try to help the Cyclones return to the NCAA championships for the first time since 1997, when they placed 15th in the country.

Along with the forementioned Cyclone runners, there are nine other “thoroughbreds” in Bourke’s stable who will be called upon to contribute throughout the season.

Sophomore Dan Reis looks to bounce back after a injury-plagued ’98 season and return to the form that made him one of the state’s dominant prep cross country runners in ’95 and ’96.

With Reis and a fine mix of juniors and sophomores pressing each other hard every day in practice, it won’t be long before a new star emerges to help lead the Cyclones into the new millenium.

So make sure to keep a close eye on the ISU men’s cross country team this season, as these talented young men look to make ’99 a banner year for Cyclone cross country.