KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan cross country team will continue its season tomorrow at 6 p.m. when the Broncos compete in the Mel Brodt Collegiate Open, which is hosted by Bowling Green. A wide range of MAC teams will be in attendance, including Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Toledo, Northern Illinois, Akron, Ohio, Ball State and Bowling Green. 

LAST TIME OUT
The Broncos opened the season at the Winrow Valparaiso Open, claiming third place. WMU finished behind just Notre Dame and Purdue at the event. In total, WMU scored 68 points and had four runners in the top 20. 

The Brown and Gold were led by Chloe Nixon, who finished 10th in her college debut. She finished with a time of 18:42.9. Just behind her was Madison Clor, who finished 12th and also made her college debut. Clor had a time of 18:47.8. Brooke Soper also had a top-15 finish, as she completed the race in 18:55.5.

Rounding out the scoring lineup for the Broncos were Delaney Knoll (19th) and Madison Zarembski (27th). Knoll crossed the finish line in 19:03.7, while Zarembski finished in 19:24.5. 

LAST YEAR'S EVENT
Only four teams participated at least years competition, with Central Michigan taking the top spot. Eastern Michigan, Oakland and Bowling Green rounded out the field. CMU had 27 points, while the rest of the field was over 50 points.

CATALDO NAMED HEAD COACH
After originally coming to Western Michigan as an assistant coach for the cross country and track and field program, Kevin Cataldo was selected as the head coach on May 10, 2023. Cataldo joined the Broncos as an assistant coach in March 2022, after serving in the same position at Southern Illinois for six seasons. He was then elevated to interim head coach in August of 2022. 

During his first year with the program, the cross country team finished fifth at the MAC Championships. It was the first time in program history that the program had two first team all-MAC performers. Makayla Perez finished fifth and Kayla Schiera placed seventh at the conference meet. The program also tied the second highest finish in program history at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Meet (13th). Additionally it was the first time the squad had an All-Region athlete (Makayla Perez) since Hanne Christensen in 2017.

WHO'S RUNNING?
The Broncos will have a similar lineup to the season-opening meet, as Rebekah Asselin, Madison Clor, Ann Marie Jordan, Delaney Knoll, Larissa McGrath, Chloe Nixon, Danielle Rinn, Lauren Sancrant, Brooke Soper and Madison Zarembski will be competing tomorrow evening. Nixon, Clor and Soper are coming off of top-15 performances, while Rinn is set to make her Bronco debut after transferring from Oklahoma.