KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan cross country team kicks off the 2022 season on Friday at Valparaiso's Winrow Open.
The 5k race begins at 5 p.m. at the Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso, Ind.
Before the season was set to begin, the team already had to face some adversity. A change in leadership in the program was made by WMU Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae and assistant head coach Kevin Cataldo was elevated to interim head coach.
"The team is resilient and has done an excellent job of adapting to the changes," said Cataldo. "We try to stress the importance of focusing on what you can control, rather than what you can't as athletes. This group has done very well with applying that to other aspects of their lives."
Despite the adversity, the Broncos head into Friday's race with some momentum: being ranked regionally in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Preseason Great Lakes Region poll for the first time since the 2016 season. Improvement during the track and field season, and some new faces helped elevate the program. The Broncos brought in transfers Makayla Perez from Michigan State and Kayla Schiera from Southern Illinois, both former All-Americans.
"I'm very excited to see Makayla and Kayla in this lineup," said Cataldo, who coached Schiera at Southern Illinois before joining WMU last winter. "Both have competed at the highest level of the NCAA and will bring a great deal of experience to this rather young team. In addition to Mak and Kayla, I'm very pleased with how freshman Maddie Zamrembski has been doing so far in the early stages of the season."
Cataldo also credits senior Annalise James with making a big jump during the track season and has impressed so far in camp.
Western Michigan will have to be road warriors this season, with no home meets on the schedule. The Broncos head to Michigan State for the Spartan Invitational on Sept. 16, to Notre Dame for the Joe Piane Invitational on Sept. 30 and then compete in the Bradley Pink Classic on Oct. 14 to wrap up the regular season. This year's running of the MAC Championships takes place at Ohio University on Saturday, Oct. 29.
