After Kansas senior distance runner Sharon Lokedi won a national title in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in June, it’s easy to understand why KU cross-country coach Stanley Redwine has a great deal of excitement for this fall.

However, Redwine’s eagerness for the upcoming cross-country season goes far beyond Lokedi’s quest for another individual national championship. The most encouraging aspect of the preseason for Redwine is that both his men’s and women’s cross-country teams are healthier than they were compared to just about any point of the 2017 campaign.

“This year, we’ll do a better job of that (staying healthy) and make sure that we’re going to pace ourselves right. But the athletes are in place to do well,” Redwine said at KU fall sports media day. “Both teams, the goal is we want to make it to the NCAA Championships. We want to make it to postseason and do well.”

While Lokedi continued to serve as a frontrunner for the KU women’s team last fall, the Jayhawks’ No. 1 runner on the men’s squad was sidelined due to injury in Chris Melgares. The Manhattan native finished 17th at the 2016 Big 12 Championships, and is anxious to see what’s in store for his final cross-country season.

“Last year was a challenging year just because I dealt with a lot of injuries, and so I wasn’t able to run with the team last year for a good portion of the season. A big thing I learned through that year was that positivity plays a huge impact on the team,” Melgares said. “Even if you’re not actually running with the team, being positive is something you can bring to the table any day. So that’s an attitude that I’ve tried to bring early this year and even throughout the summer, and I think that was a valuable lesson for me. That’s something that I definitely tried to contribute to the team.”

Chris Melgares ran unattached at the Bob Timmons Classic last season, but was for the remainder of the season after the Jayhawks’ first meet. While Chris was discouraged about having to redshirt last fall, he was excited to see his younger brother, Michael Melgares, step up to lead the Jayhawks in his absence.

“I was injured last year and then we had a couple other rough injuries. Michael was really forced to step up, and I think he learned a lot throughout that experience because in the past, as an underclassman, you’re not necessarily expected to maintain that leadership role,” Chris said. “So it was good for him to kind of grow into that role while a few of us were on the sidelines. I think that was really valuable experience for him, and that’s something that will translate really well for him this season.”

Michael Melgares, Avery Hale, George Letner, Bryce Hoppel and Chace Hale all return from KU’s 2017 NCAA regional team that ran to an 18th-place finish. Hoppel and Dylan Hodgson are both looking to build off of stellar finishes to their respective 2018 outdoor track seasons. Hoppel earned All-America honors in the 800 after finishing fourth in the 800 meters at the NCAA meet. Hodgson finished 22nd in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAAs.

The Jayhawks also have a few addition via transfers to go along with their new freshman class. Former Olpe standout Kyler True and Highlands Ranch, Colo. native Ben Butler both transferred to KU from Oklahoma State.

“Well, first of all, it’s really good to have Kyler. He’s a Kansan, so he should be here,” Redwine said. “We’re excited about him being here. But those guys bring a different experience, as well. Whatever their experience they got at Oklahoma State, it was probably pretty good.

“So they are bringing that here, and that’s a different type of leadership that we’ll have. They’re just fitting right in and competing well, practicing well so far, as well. But they’re really competitive, and I think they’re going to do a really good job for us.”

Redwine doesn’t have to look far for leadership on the KU women’s team with Lokedi, Riley Cooney, Alaina Schroeder, Hannah Driscoll, Marleena Eubanks and Creighton transfer Megan Paule all being seniors.

“I guess after being here for four years, I’ve seen and gotten to run with a lot of really talented runners and I’ve tried to follow the tone that they’ve set. They’ve had a lot of success,” Cooney said. “We’re really excited to have Sharon back for another year and just (are) really trying to set a good example for the younger girls. We have a lot of older girls who have been at some of the big races.”

Lokedi’s highly-touted collegiate cross-country career already includes two Big 12 titles. The KU senior finished 44th at the NCAA meet last fall after placing 10th as a freshman and fifth as a sophomore.

Schroeder was close to joining Lokedi at the NCAAs in 2017 after finishing 18th at the Midwest regional. Lokedi, Schroeder, Cooney, Lauren Harrell, Catherine Liggett and Emmie Skopec all return from the KU women’s team that placed 10th at regionals.

“Just talking to the girls all summer, I know that they were putting in the work. Not only running the miles, but also doing the little things outside (of running) — doing their strength work, doing recovery work,” Cooney said. “We’re not at full strength right now, but you’re not supposed to be at full strength in August. You’re supposed to be at full strength in November, and I have full confidence that we’ll get there.”

The Jayhawks will open their season with the Bob Timmons Classic on Saturday at Rim Rock Farm.

KU Cross-country Schedule

Sept. 1 — Bob Timmons Classic, 9 a.m. at Rim Rock Farm

Sept. 29 — Rim Rock Farm Collegiate Classic, 9 a.m. at Rim Rock Farm

Oct. 13 — Pre-National Invitational, 11 a.m. at Zimmer Championship Course in Madison, Wisc.

Oct. 26 — Big 12 Championship, 10 a.m. at ISU Cross Country Course in Ames, Iowa