The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Cross Country Looks Ahead to Exciting 2019 Season
8/29/2019 | Cross Country
<i class="icon-tv"></i> Vanhoy Interview<i class="icon-tv"></i> Ozanne-Jaques Interview<i class="icon-tv"></i> Suliman Interview
Rebels Open this Saturday Night (Aug. 31) at Memphis Twilight
OXFORD, Miss. – With the 2019 Ole Miss cross country season looming on the horizon, associate head coach Ryan Vanhoy, as well as juniors Clio Ozanne-Jaques and Waleed Suliman, sat down to recap a historic 2018 season and look ahead to this fall's slate.
Associate Head Coach Ryan Vanhoy • Seventh Season
ON THE BUZZ AROUND BOTH PROGRAMS
"There is definitely a buzz around the program right now, and I think looking back on the year we had last year, collectively the men and women, I think there is a lot of excitement looking ahead at what is on the table for this season. I think when you return a good chunk of your team there is always a lot of good that comes with that. Excited about what is coming next and knowing where we've been and what we could possibly achieve certainly permeated the group."
ON POTENTIALLY BEING A TARGET AFTER A HISTORIC 2018
"I think like any sport, as your program builds momentum and you do better over the years, people are going to look at you a little bit differently. In terms of us specifically, I feel like you have to feel like you're a favorite to really feel like you are hunted, and I don't think we ever truly feel like a favorite walking in to any meet. We just want to run the best we can. Certainly, you can see it happen as teams rise and get better. Maybe more people look at them to be a program to look out for and maybe they are targeting you. But internally, I don't think we really feel any of that ourselves. (We're) more just focused on what we are doing and not too concerned about anything else."
ON HOW MUCH OF HIS TEAMS RETURN
"It's really exciting. The good thing when you have continuity year-to-year and you aren't constantly changing your roster from one season to the next, a lot of good things come from that. One being a lot of the team is already adjusted to training with each other. You kind of know people's strengths and weaknesses. There is a bit more of a flow year-to-year when you have returners coming back. Especially when you have a young team that was particularly successful and can continue to grow together year-to-year. It is definitely a big plus. I think for us, the big thing we have to keep in mind is that even though we did achieve a high level for our program last year, there's still things we have to work on and improve. There are things we can do better than what we did last year so that we can continue to have success."
ON HIS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE REBEL WOMEN
"A big thing for our women's team is to just continue to work well together. Continue to run for each other. It's exciting that we have everyone back that ran last year at NCAA's. I think we only lined up one or two people that had ever competed at that meet before. Now, we'll go back with at least seven people that have been there and we have a few newcomers that we are excited about, too, so we will be seeing how that groups gels over the course of the season."
ON HIS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE REBEL MEN
"The men are obviously fired up and excited about the year. I think on paper Waleed (Suliman) and Farah (Abdulkarim) are the guys that most people expect to lead the team this year. But we've got a really strong group of guys behind them. To be honest, I think you could see a different order of the lineup amongst our guys at any meet this year. Those two guys, their leadership will be really big. Cade (Bethmann), Mario (Garcia Romo), Parker Scott will be back in the mix after sitting out last year with an injury, so he will be really key. Michael Coccia is coming back completely healthy. We lost him at the end of the year last year. Putting that group together, and a couple of newcomers that we are excited about. The sky is the limit with whatever they set their goals to be this season. I think I will let them be the determining group that makes that decision, but whatever they decide they want to do, they have the ability to do it. It's just coming together, working hard, figuring out what our goals are going to be and then attacking them."
Clio-Ozanne-Jaques • Junior • Cairns Post, Australia
ON THE EXCITEMENT HEADING INTO 2019
"As you can imagine, we are pretty keen. Last year was exciting to have a young team to see what we could achieve, but this year we have kind of worked together. Everyone doing national cross country is a race like no other, it's something that you have to experience first. We've got a whole season under our belt, experience-wise, and I think everyone is looking forward to the season because we can do amazing things."
ON WHAT THE GOALS ARE FOR 2019
"Usually we like to have a team meeting at first to put our goals out on the table. Our team is really enthusiastic and we like to build each other up. Some other teams are inter-competitive and bring each other down, but we are the opposite. We have a really good network and everyone is genuinely excited and happy for each other, and I think that is important. We have that team aspect, which is what is going to help us get over the line."
ON HER INDIVIDUAL GOALS
"I would definitely like to get All-American in cross country. It's not something I usually tell people but this year I'm telling people because it's a goal I think I can achieve. Everyone is really set towards finishing really high this year so I think it would be nice to have one or two All-Americans to show that the Ole Miss women's team is a force to be reckoned with, and we can do amazing things."
ON TEAM EXPECTATIONS
"Last year we finished the highest place in program history. This year I think we can smash that and get top-15 at nationals and maybe top-two at SEC's. I'd like to see us get back that regional title, because we won it in 2017 and I'd like to see us back on top."
Waleed Suliman • Junior • Richmond, Va.
ON SUCCESS LAST YEAR HEADING INTO A NEW SEASON
"We are still a developing program that has not proved themselves to everyone else yet nationally that we are a powerhouse capable of doing what other great schools have done before. Cross country went well for both me individually and the whole team. Nationals, on the other hand, we didn't quite finish in the place that we expected to. At least it was the second highest finish that we had done in school history. (Our) motivation is just keeping in mind that it is not all about yourself, that it also is your teammates, your family, your friends, and everyone else supporting you to get there. If we do well right now, they'll be happy and if we do bad, they'll share sadness with us. The motivation is to never let anyone feel sad or feel like we didn't do as well as we expected to do."
ON THE RETURNING ROSTER
"We're losing one guy, Mark Robertson. We're going to miss him. We are quite young and the replacements for Mark, we are getting back like five guys. We have back Michael Coccia, Parker (Scott), some new freshmen in Cole (Bullock) and Jack (Filan). I believe we are going to do much better than we did last year. At this point it is just a matter having everyone being healthy, staying where they are right now, grinding together and hoping for the best at the end of the season. You never know what is going to happen, but hopefully this year everything just goes to plan, and I'm hoping the team will get top-five. Every single person on the team, that is their dream. We have to get that podium spot at some point. For this year, do what everyone is expecting us to do, then the year after that, blow everybody's mind."
ON THE EXPECTATIONS AFTER WINNING THE SEC TITLE LAST YEAR
"No matter how easy the race might be, you just have to keep in mind that you might lose the race and you never know what is going to happen. We're going with the mentality that every team in the SEC is really strong. It's going to be hard, definitely harder than last year."
ON WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO MEET EXPECATIONS
"Consistency. Train every single day. Do what Coach Vanhoy tells you to do. Just stay on top of whatever you have to do in order to stay healthy. School-wise, it is also the same thing. If school is going bad for you, running is not going to go well for you. Consistency, staying healthy, and practice is the goal for becoming a champion in anything. It is always the little stuff that nobody thinks matters that matters the most. Rolling, going to the training room, hydrating, stuff like that you have got to do."
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
Associate Head Coach Ryan Vanhoy • Seventh Season
ON THE BUZZ AROUND BOTH PROGRAMS
"There is definitely a buzz around the program right now, and I think looking back on the year we had last year, collectively the men and women, I think there is a lot of excitement looking ahead at what is on the table for this season. I think when you return a good chunk of your team there is always a lot of good that comes with that. Excited about what is coming next and knowing where we've been and what we could possibly achieve certainly permeated the group."
ON POTENTIALLY BEING A TARGET AFTER A HISTORIC 2018
"I think like any sport, as your program builds momentum and you do better over the years, people are going to look at you a little bit differently. In terms of us specifically, I feel like you have to feel like you're a favorite to really feel like you are hunted, and I don't think we ever truly feel like a favorite walking in to any meet. We just want to run the best we can. Certainly, you can see it happen as teams rise and get better. Maybe more people look at them to be a program to look out for and maybe they are targeting you. But internally, I don't think we really feel any of that ourselves. (We're) more just focused on what we are doing and not too concerned about anything else."
ON HOW MUCH OF HIS TEAMS RETURN
"It's really exciting. The good thing when you have continuity year-to-year and you aren't constantly changing your roster from one season to the next, a lot of good things come from that. One being a lot of the team is already adjusted to training with each other. You kind of know people's strengths and weaknesses. There is a bit more of a flow year-to-year when you have returners coming back. Especially when you have a young team that was particularly successful and can continue to grow together year-to-year. It is definitely a big plus. I think for us, the big thing we have to keep in mind is that even though we did achieve a high level for our program last year, there's still things we have to work on and improve. There are things we can do better than what we did last year so that we can continue to have success."
ON HIS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE REBEL WOMEN
"A big thing for our women's team is to just continue to work well together. Continue to run for each other. It's exciting that we have everyone back that ran last year at NCAA's. I think we only lined up one or two people that had ever competed at that meet before. Now, we'll go back with at least seven people that have been there and we have a few newcomers that we are excited about, too, so we will be seeing how that groups gels over the course of the season."
ON HIS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE REBEL MEN
"The men are obviously fired up and excited about the year. I think on paper Waleed (Suliman) and Farah (Abdulkarim) are the guys that most people expect to lead the team this year. But we've got a really strong group of guys behind them. To be honest, I think you could see a different order of the lineup amongst our guys at any meet this year. Those two guys, their leadership will be really big. Cade (Bethmann), Mario (Garcia Romo), Parker Scott will be back in the mix after sitting out last year with an injury, so he will be really key. Michael Coccia is coming back completely healthy. We lost him at the end of the year last year. Putting that group together, and a couple of newcomers that we are excited about. The sky is the limit with whatever they set their goals to be this season. I think I will let them be the determining group that makes that decision, but whatever they decide they want to do, they have the ability to do it. It's just coming together, working hard, figuring out what our goals are going to be and then attacking them."
Clio-Ozanne-Jaques • Junior • Cairns Post, Australia
ON THE EXCITEMENT HEADING INTO 2019
"As you can imagine, we are pretty keen. Last year was exciting to have a young team to see what we could achieve, but this year we have kind of worked together. Everyone doing national cross country is a race like no other, it's something that you have to experience first. We've got a whole season under our belt, experience-wise, and I think everyone is looking forward to the season because we can do amazing things."
ON WHAT THE GOALS ARE FOR 2019
"Usually we like to have a team meeting at first to put our goals out on the table. Our team is really enthusiastic and we like to build each other up. Some other teams are inter-competitive and bring each other down, but we are the opposite. We have a really good network and everyone is genuinely excited and happy for each other, and I think that is important. We have that team aspect, which is what is going to help us get over the line."
ON HER INDIVIDUAL GOALS
"I would definitely like to get All-American in cross country. It's not something I usually tell people but this year I'm telling people because it's a goal I think I can achieve. Everyone is really set towards finishing really high this year so I think it would be nice to have one or two All-Americans to show that the Ole Miss women's team is a force to be reckoned with, and we can do amazing things."
ON TEAM EXPECTATIONS
"Last year we finished the highest place in program history. This year I think we can smash that and get top-15 at nationals and maybe top-two at SEC's. I'd like to see us get back that regional title, because we won it in 2017 and I'd like to see us back on top."
Waleed Suliman • Junior • Richmond, Va.
ON SUCCESS LAST YEAR HEADING INTO A NEW SEASON
"We are still a developing program that has not proved themselves to everyone else yet nationally that we are a powerhouse capable of doing what other great schools have done before. Cross country went well for both me individually and the whole team. Nationals, on the other hand, we didn't quite finish in the place that we expected to. At least it was the second highest finish that we had done in school history. (Our) motivation is just keeping in mind that it is not all about yourself, that it also is your teammates, your family, your friends, and everyone else supporting you to get there. If we do well right now, they'll be happy and if we do bad, they'll share sadness with us. The motivation is to never let anyone feel sad or feel like we didn't do as well as we expected to do."
ON THE RETURNING ROSTER
"We're losing one guy, Mark Robertson. We're going to miss him. We are quite young and the replacements for Mark, we are getting back like five guys. We have back Michael Coccia, Parker (Scott), some new freshmen in Cole (Bullock) and Jack (Filan). I believe we are going to do much better than we did last year. At this point it is just a matter having everyone being healthy, staying where they are right now, grinding together and hoping for the best at the end of the season. You never know what is going to happen, but hopefully this year everything just goes to plan, and I'm hoping the team will get top-five. Every single person on the team, that is their dream. We have to get that podium spot at some point. For this year, do what everyone is expecting us to do, then the year after that, blow everybody's mind."
ON THE EXPECTATIONS AFTER WINNING THE SEC TITLE LAST YEAR
"No matter how easy the race might be, you just have to keep in mind that you might lose the race and you never know what is going to happen. We're going with the mentality that every team in the SEC is really strong. It's going to be hard, definitely harder than last year."
ON WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO MEET EXPECATIONS
"Consistency. Train every single day. Do what Coach Vanhoy tells you to do. Just stay on top of whatever you have to do in order to stay healthy. School-wise, it is also the same thing. If school is going bad for you, running is not going to go well for you. Consistency, staying healthy, and practice is the goal for becoming a champion in anything. It is always the little stuff that nobody thinks matters that matters the most. Rolling, going to the training room, hydrating, stuff like that you have got to do."
For more information on Ole Miss Track & Field and Cross Country, follow the Rebels on Twitter (@OleMissTrack), Facebook and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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