UW-Stevens Point Cross Country head coach Brett Witt has high hopes for his team coming into 2016.  For the men, Witt hopes to accomplish another trip to the NCAA Championships while the women continue to grow and build upon the foundation set by the upperclassmen.   
 
Last season, it was success for the men.  They were able to qualify two men to nationals, but Witt hopes that this season the team can capitalize upon that success and springboard to a team trip to nationals. 
 
"For the men, we felt we were the first team left out of the National Championships last year. We didn't run as well as we would've liked at regionals and hope to change that this year," Witt said. 
               
Returning to the lineup on the men's team is Neil Pedersen, Dane Tyler, Calvin VanRyzin, and Michael Evans, all of whom have competed at nationals during their career. 
 
With their first meet only a week away, Witt begins his plan for their season.  His men will begin slowly and work their way up to the ultimate goal. 
 
"Our plan for the men is to hold out the top one-third of the team, with the expectation they are going to get some extra meet time during the championship season.  After the Augustana Invite, is when we will take off any restrictions," Witt said.
               
The Pointer men are ranked 26th in the country in the USTFCCCA preseason poll.  At the end of the season, Witt want to see his men's team in the top 10. 
 
The Pointer women have a different objective in mind this season.  A talented group of freshmen join the team and will follow the leadership of returners Kathy Derks and Emily Schlebecker.
 
"We lost a couple seniors who graduated, and replaced them with a lot of freshman.  We are going to need them to step into a scoring position.  So really it's a building process from the inside, because we don't have all that much experience," said Witt. 
 
Compared to the men, the women's first meet is used as a building block for their freshman and an opportunity for the upperclassmen to guide the squad to a successful season. 
 
"For this first meet, we want to use it to give our freshman experience, have some of the upperclassmen mentor them on the course, run with them," said Witt.
 
The Pointers begin their season at the Tom Hoffman Invitational at Whitewater, Wis., this Saturday.