Here are the best and worst case scenarios for Ohio at the MAC Championships.
The Mid-American Conference Championships take place Saturday in Norton. It's the race the Bobcats have trained all season for.
For the men's program, the best finishes in the conference over the past eight years have been a pair of 4th places finishes (2007-2008, and 2013-2014 respectively).
The women won the MAC in 2007-2008, and have finished near the top a couple times since, but are hungry for redemption after finishing 10th last year.
That said, let’s take a look at some possibilities for this weekend.
Women
Best case (hypothetically): Junior Ellen Isaac continues to lead Ohio, as she could qualify for nationals next weekend and the rest of the Bobcat "pack attack" has a good enough mindset at the beginning of this race to stay close enough behind to take home a MAC championship.
Also, one of senior Krista Roehlig, senior Peyton Adkins, or sophomore Christina Seas hit on a race of their lives scenario that coach Tim Sykes explained they would need to qualify for nationals.
Worst case: Isaac struggles, and the rest of the Bobcats get lost in the pack in a fringe top five-to-just-outside top five finish.
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Men
Best case (hypothetically): Well, the hope is that junior Michael McKean is healthy enough to race, as coaches Clay Calkins and Mitch Bentley held McKean out at Pre-Nationals two weeks ago.
McKean could potentially join junior Alex Wind at the front of the pack chasing Akron and Eastern Michigan.
Even if this happens, the Bobcats are looking at a third-place finish, at best. Akron and Eastern Michigan are both nationally ranked programs and will be tough to beat.
Worst case: If McKean can’t go, the Bobcats will need another outstanding performance from the collective team like they had at Pre-Nats, where they finished 11th without him. If McKean can’t go and the Bobcats don’t get that extra boost from the supporting cast, it might not be a very happy weekend for the men.
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