The Trinity Tigers men's and women's cross country teams will have a new head coach leading the way for the 2014 campaign.

Coach Emily (Loeffler) Daum, a former Trinity All-American in cross country and track and field, takes over the program after serving two years as an assistant coach. She has helped guide the Tigers to Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Championships, to two high NCAA Division Regional finishes, and trips to the NCAA Division III Championships.

"This year, in fact for the next several years, it is all about writing a new chapter of cross country at Trinity," Coach Daum said. "It will take some time, but with the dedication this team has, I know we can build a successful program which is consistently competing at the national level."

Trinity's women's team finished in 20th place at the 2013 NCAA Championships at Hanover, (IN). The Tigers qualified for the meet by winning the NCAA South/Southeast Regional at Newport News, (VA). It marked the second consecutive Regional title for the Tigers, and fourth overall. Trinity's men placed ninth (of 31 teams) at the Regional Championships.

"The Tiger women's team will benefit from great leadership from the upperclassmen," Coach Daum said. "They will help lead the way in continuing to develop a competitive atmosphere for Trinity's cross country program."

Both Tiger teams captured the SCAC Championships for the second year in a row. The women's squad amassed a perfect score of 15 points at Shreveport, (LA), while the men chalked up 28, winning the title by one point over Colorado College.

Trinity's women graduated four standouts in 2013: Maddie Murphy, Rosemary Steup, Jackie Newell, and Vanessa Moreno. The four Tiger alumni will definitely be missed.

But three returning seniors turned in excellent performances at the 6k Regional Championships: Michelle Oberndorf (14th place; 23:01.81), Nicola Hill (15th place; 23:05.32), and Autumn Kervella (32nd place; 23:39.91). The Tiger runners earned All-Region honors.

Oberndorf finished fourth (22:47.1) at the SCAC Championships, Hill came in at No. 7 (23:14.8), and Kervella was ninth (23:28.5). Junior Mariana Sigala rounded out the All-Conference runners in the No. 14 position (23:51.0).

The only graduate from the Tiger men's top-seven was Gerardo Hernandez, who achieved All-SCAC and All-Region accolades in 2013.

A key returnee is junior Taylor Piske, who earned All-Region status with a No. 22 finish. Piske ran the 8k event in 25:55.25. Trinity's men had eight runners attain All-SCAC recognition, including five returning student-athletes. Piske placed second (26:17.7), junior Chris Soto was sixth (26:45.4), and sophomore Tristan Ashton came in at No. 8 (27:15.9). Senior Brandon Douglas posted a No. 14 finish (27:45.8).

With his eighth-place finish - the best of all newcomers - Ashton, who was a first-year runner last season, was named SCAC Freshman of the Year.

"We have a very young men's team, losing only one senior," Coach Daum said. "We will rely heavily on the determination of the current team, along with the standout newcomers we have this year, to help set the tone for the future of this program."

The Tiger women's team has an exciting number of first years to welcome to the squad. Rachel Hanes (Arlington, TX), Michaela Lieb (Mechanicsburg, PA), Emma Maceachern and Lexi Phelps (both Temple, TX), Audrey Manchester (The Woodlands, TX), Haley McFadden (Grapevine, TX), and Melissa Whitman (Carrollton, TX) will join the Tiger cross country family.

New to the Tiger men's team are Michael Erickson (Sugar Land, TX), George Fairchild (Coppell, TX), Jacob Hammond (Austin, TX), Daniel Henkes (San Antonio), and Connor Phillips (Katy, TX). The team is looking forward to the depth the incoming first years bring to the table.

Trinity begins the season August 29 by co-hosting the Alamo City Opener at Live Oak Park (north of campus on Interstate 35). The Tigers will once again compete in the UTSA/Ricardo Romo Classic (September 19), and will travel to Fayetteville, (AR), October 4 for the Chile Pepper Festival. The UIW (University of the Incarnate Word) Invitational is on the books in San Antonio for October 11, and the Concordia Invitational is marked for October 18 in Austin, (TX).

The Tigers will defend their conference titles November 1 by hosting the SCAC Championships at Boerne City Lake Park, near San Antonio. The NCAA South/Southeast Regional is slated for November 15, at Rome (Ga), and the NCAA Championships will be held November 22, at Mason, (OH).