Men's team signs 3 recruits

A week after exceeding their goals by placing 17th at the NCAA Championship meet, the men's cross country team gained three more reasons to be optimistic about the future. \nThey have just signed three top recruits.\nTwins John and Sean Jefferson from Delray Beach, Fla., and Stephen Haas from Huntersville, N.C., will join the Hoosiers next season.\nAmong their accomplishments, the Jefferson brothers have placed second and third in two consecutive state cross country meets (1998 and 1999).\nHaas, rivaling these accomplishments, was the North Carolina cross country state champion this fall.\n"With the recruiting class we're bringing in next year, it's hard not to look to next season," sophomore Chris Powers said. "It's cool that this is the program they've decided they want to run with. I think they'll fit in with our team well."\nThe new recruits are part of an effort by men's coach Robert Chapman to extend the depth and talent of his team. Last year, Chapman added 10 of the top high school runners from Indiana, leading the Hoosiers to national-caliber success this season.\n"It's a nice feeling knowing that there are more people that are good that are coming this way." said senior Aaron Gillen, the team's No. 1 runner. "After a year of training, the team is going to be so strong and so deep. We're definitely at the beginning stage."\nWith such a young team, the addition of new talent is important to continue the tradition of success. Powers said he is looking forward to welcoming the new members to the team.\n"It's going to be different because we've had such great leadership from the seniors," Powers said. "Now we're going to be the ones taking over and showing the freshman what it takes to be good. It's going to be a role reversal."\nFor now, the team is mainly working on relaxation after a hard season. Powers said he needed the mental and emotional break from running just as much as the physical break.\nIn about a week, the team will begin practicing for the indoor track season. Freshman Jeff Zeha said the promise of next year's team will help encourage the distance runners throughout track.\n"It's probably the biggest step this program has had in a long time," Zeha said. "It's the start of something big"