2018 Koalas Cross Country Season Preview
The Koalas cross country team looks to build off the success they experienced in 2017-18. They will return to campus August 12 to continue their summer training as a team.
With the addition of Columbia International University, there are now 15 teams in the Appalachian Athletic Conference for women’s cross country. The Koalas will again host their home meet, The Koala Classic, on October 6th at Charwood Country Club.
Columbia College ended the season at the AAC championship meet, placing 6th. They did improve their team time from the year before, but are looking to move up the final rankings this year. “We are bringing in so much new talent, along with strong returners, there is no way we will not be a top 5 team,” head Coach Travis Nichols says about this upcoming season. Junior Alyssa Waibel is the top returner, with a strong personal best of 19:49, along with Senior Lauren Glencross from England.
Junior and newcomer from the sport of soccer, Allison Scrimpsher, will be joining the cross country program with big goals for this season.
The Sophomore class will consist of Brittany Robbins, who looks to overcome her injury plagued first year season, and Julisa Echeverria. Julisa is coming off a monster track season in the long sprint/middle distance fields and hopes to carry that over to cross country.
With a slew of first years coming in, the Koalas will be competitive for years to come. Kennedy Beach, Nechelle Ben, Diana Gleaton, Ayanah Howard, Ladaisha Louallen, Hannah Mishkoff, Ashlyn Phipps, and Heather Woolard look to help the Koalas improve off the success from last season.
Columbia College opens their season September 1st at the Palmetto State Invite hosted by CIU, which won back in 2016.
For more information on the Koalas schedule, please check out the schedule page. If you are looking for more in depth information, please email head coach Travis Nichols at tnichols@columbiasc.edu.