Both men’s and women’s cross-country teams are poised to have an improved year from last year. The teams are young, composed of primarily and freshmen and sophomores that will be immediately relied on.

“We’re still a young team and we’re learning a lot,” said head coach Karoly Varga. “Hopefully we’re going to better than last season.”

On the men’s side of the team, juniors, Hillary Kirwa and Silah Chumba, look to serve as team leaders for the newcomers.

Chumba had an excellent season in 2012 totaling three top 10 finishes. He also earned All-Sunbelt Conference honors.

Varga has brought in local talent as well as international talent.

Freshman, Dusan Makevic, is expected to contribute right away. Makevic has several impressive accolades under his belt already. He has a first place finish in 3000m in the Serbian National Championship as well as being crowned a three-time Serbian Cross Country champion.

“This season we have a very good team,” said Makevic. “We were practicing so hard during the summer and we are very prepared.”

The women’s side has all of the makings to be very competitive as well.

Varga is heavily relying on his experienced juniors, Teona Glave and Anakaren Lopez, to carry the team to a Sun Belt Conference title. Three freshmen will be counted on to help the team along also.

“We have three newcomers. They can definitely help us improve from past seasons in the Sun Belt Conference,” said Lopez. “We have expectations higher than previous years. We want to be placed higher. We’re just working hard towards that.”

Last season the Warhawks men’s team finished the Sun Belt Conference in 8th place behind a second place finish of graduated senior Daniel Mutai.

Injuries were a factor that slowed the teams down. The women finished 12th overall in the Sun Belt Conference.

Both teams have raced twice already this year. The men finished third and the women finished 5th at the Tulsa Hurricane Festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

At the Warhawk Invitational, the only race in Monroe this season, both teams finished in 1st place.

The Warhawks raced again Saturday at the UTA Invitational in Arlington, Texas. The men’s team finished in second place out of nine teams.

They will have almost a month to improve before their next race on Oct. 5 when they compete in the Chile Pepper Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

“I expect more than the last two years,” said Varga. “I really want them to be higher in conference and place in a better place than the last two years.”