Blue Mountain College cross country ready for season

Photo: Makayla Blessike of Byhalia will be among the Blue Mountain College cross country standouts this fall. (Courtesy photo)

Coming off a third-place finish at the 2021 SSAC Cross Country Championships, the Blue Mountain College Lady Toppers are looking to improve on that in 2022.

With a rich tradition of winning and strong runners, BMC returns SSAC All-Conference selections Aliyah Kline and Ami Sherif (SR/Memphis, Tenn.).

Kline finished 2021 in ninth place at conference in a time of 19:39, while Sherif finished 14th at 20:20.

Makayla Blessike (JR/Byhalia, Miss.) will also return for the Lady Toppers in 2022.  Blessike has been a star in track and field for BMC, with steady lower times in cross country during the fall.

BMC head coach Phillip Laney, who begins his 11th season, said he’s looking for a strong season from his squad.

“We have a really young group of runners this season, but I suspect our upperclassmen will step up and lead the way,” Laney said.  “Everyone on this team understands our tradition and the expectations, so as always, we are looking forward to another successful campaign.”

BMC opens the 2022 season Sept. 2 at the Mississippi College Season Opener in Clinton while they will host the Topper Trails Classic Oct. 1 in Blue Mountain.

2022 Roster

Bob Bakken

Bob Bakken is the most recognized and most trusted name in DeSoto County news and sports reporting, as readers continue to express their appreciation for his accuracy and fairness in the stories he writes. Bob is also heard on 95.3 The Rebel twice a week with sports updates and high school football play-by-play broadcasts in the fall. A former newspaper editor and writer, his award-winning background also includes television news producing, sports media relations, and radio broadcasting.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *