The 2000 season for Eastern Michigan s men's cross country team will be no ordinary season. It marks the final run at the helm for coach Bob Parks, who will retire at the end of the season after 33 years as head coach. Parks hopes to go out with one more Mid-American Conference Championship, bringing the number he has won at EMU to 29.
Parks has a strong group to contend in the conference.
The team includes the reigning conference champion in senior Blake McDowell, as well as senior Ben Reese, the 1997 champion and 1998 second-place finisher. In addition to his MAC title, McDowell finished 24th at the Great Lakes Regional. Parks said McDowell is a strong competitor who trains extremely hard. Reese, who came to EMU from England, had a 1999 campaign totally opposite of the success of McDowell. Reese came back from the summer out of shape and had trouble getting into the condition he needed to be to race.