They also regained a top runner who missed last season with an injury, and recruited a host of talented newcomers

After placing first in two small season-opening meets, the RedHawks are ranked No. 19 in Division I. Coach Warren Mandrell said it's the first time the team has been ranked this high early in the season.

"We've always had to prove to people we were a good team," Mandrell said. "It's almost like we have to thump them on the head to show we're deserving. But eventually they'll get used to us being up there."

The RedHawks look to top last year's second-place Mid-American Conference finish and NCAA showing. They bring back 2003 All-American (and Academic All-American) David Mitchell, who won the first two meets this season. Mitchell said their top four are better than last year, with the addition of Lakota East product Jerry Claunch, who redshirted last season because of a calf injury and bronchitis.

"We just need to focus on staying consistent, keeping guys healthy, not worrying too much about races but about consistently performing," Mitchell said. "The end-of-the-year meets should fall into place."

On Friday, after a three-week layoff, the RedHawks competed at their first major meet, the Notre Dame Invitational, where they placed eighth of 24, behind seven other top-30 teams. Miami's top four runners finished within 24 seconds of each other, led by Mitchell in 11th place. The RedHawks' fifth runner, a focal point for improvement in the weeks to come, finished 112 places later.

After this weekend, the RedHawks have four weeks until the beginning of the postseason. Mandrell said the confidence from last year should help.

"(Last year's NCAA meet) was the worst conditions I've ever seen for a meet, but they ran like they were supposed to, and other people fell apart around them," Mandrell said. "It's one of the trademarks of our team - they line up and race well when it's important."

Miami isn't the only area team with early success.

The Xavier men's and women's teams, coming off an August announcement that track programs would be added in the spring, are having two of their best seasons to date. The men's team ran the fastest average in school history with 25:57 last week, finishing sixth of 41 teams at the Greater Louisville Classic. The women's team placed fifth of 38 teams.

XU freshmen Ben Milroy and Amanda Brown won back-to-back Atlantic 10 rookie of the week awards. Junior Paul Staudigel ran the second-fastest time in school history last week.

Second-year XU coach Steve Nester said the teams' goals are to be the most improved in the A-10 and NCAA. One incentive? Every runner will travel to Hawaii for a meet Oct. 16.

Others

• Tennis player Lauren Clary set the record for most singles wins in Xavier history with 86 last Sunday. With a record of 86-21, she surpassed 2004 grad Kate Weightman's 85-40.

• The Mount St. Joseph volleyball team, 11-3 heading into its Fall Classic this weekend, is ninth nationally in the latest Division III coaches' poll.

• Talawanda graduate Emily Bulach, a junior midfielder for the Wilmington women's soccer team, was named Ohio Athletic Conference player of the week after scoring two goals and assisting in two more in Quakers wins last week. Bulach has a combined 21 points in 10 games this season. • Cincinnati Country Day grad Megan Monroe, a senior goalkeeper at Carnegie Mellon, was named a University Athletic Association athlete of the week Tuesday after recording back-to-back shutouts. She has five shutouts in seven soccer games.

---

E-mail ckane@enquirer.com