by Steven Fernandez
Daily Lobo
The UNM men's cross country team might not be on many peoples' radars this season.
In a Mountain West Conference preseason coaches poll, the Lobo men are slated to tie with Colorado State for fourth.
But Jeremy Johnson, a senior on the team, said UNM has the talent to surprise some teams in the conference.
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"I understand that they probably don't know who we're bringing in," he said. "It is a time of change for the UNM program, but I'm still confident that we can perform a lot better than what the polls say."
The change Johnson is referring to is first-year head coach Joe Franklin, who replaced Matt and Mark Henry after the two retired following last season.
In 2006, the men's team finished fourth at the MWC Championships - a place Johnson said should be improved on this season.
Entering his final year, Johnson could be poised for a stellar season. He was named All-MWC in cross country last season and earned All-American honors in track and field in the spring.
Franklin said Johnson should be at the top of the pack in any race this season.
"He's the whole package," he said. "He is one of the top runners in the country. Without a doubt, he will be one of five to 10 names mentioned to contend for a national championship."
Along with Johnson, senior Joseph Garcia and sophomores Nick Arguelles and Brian Vallie return to the team.
Garcia's experience will be key on a relatively young team, while Arguelles and Vallie showed strong flashes of potential in their
first years.
On the women's side, the Lobos are picked to finish third in the conference. They no longer have Timmie Murphy, who qualified for the NCAA Championships her senior year, but the team has some young talent to fill
her shoes.
The UNM women will be led by Leslie Luna, who earned All-MWC honors last season. Luna was bothered by injuries last year in cross country and track and field, but she could have a breakout year if that is no longer a problem, Franklin said.
"I think the key to Leslie's progression is health," he said. "If she can stay healthy, she could jump in and have a great season like Timmie Murphy did."
Another Lobo to watch will be Vanessa Ortiz, who earned MWC Freshman of the Year honors after placing 18th at the conference championships last season.
Franklin said he is happy with the depth on both teams, and cross country fans should look forward to a strong season in the first year of his tenure.
"I think it could be very, very solid," he said. "On the men's and women's teams, the goal is simple: to place as high in the Mountain West as possible and also run well enough at the end to have a shot at making the NCAA
Championships."
