Records are a good thing and provide some history for a collegiate program, however, you can throw the records out the window when sheer determination and grit come into play. That was the theme for the 2009 Marian University men's cross country team. Fighting through injuries and getting the student-athletes to push themselves beyond their limits is what head coach Dave Roberts asked of his team in 2009.

The graduation of three seniors hurt, but Coach Roberts was optimistic going into the 2009 campaign with the return of five senior leaders, three talented juniors, and two competitive sophomores. Coach Roberts and his team were primed for a run at their first-ever Mid-Central College Conference championship.

An ultra-competitive Wabash Hokum Karem greeted the Knights right out of training camp and they picked up just a fourth-place finish out of five teams in the pairs event. However, the Knights responded with a strong performance against some highly-ranked teams at the Midwest Classic in Bourbonnais, Ill. The Knights finished third out of eight teams and went to the National Catholic Championships at the University of Notre Dame with high hopes for a strong performance.

They did not disappoint as they picked up a 10th-place finish out of 32 teams. They were the smallest college in the top 10 and were behind the likes of Notre Dame, Xavier, Bellarmine, DePaul, Detroit-Mercy, and Canisius. This was a significant result for Coach Roberts and his team as it was the springboard for the rest of the season.

Another large meet featuring 39 teams greeted the Knights as they traveled to the Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago. While they finished 14th, they were one of the top NAIA schools behind Aquinas College, a nationally-ranked program. Everything was going according to plan for Coach Roberts and the Knights, however, the injury bug began to set in. They lost a few athletes for the season due to injuries, but the core of the team stayed strong. They got even stronger.

Senior Kyle Murray (Morgantown, Ind./Indian Creek) earned the victory at the Eagle Invitational in Lisle, Ill., in leading the Knights to a runner-up finish. Four Knights finished in the top 15 with senior Michael Foerster (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park) finishing in third place. Now it was starting to come together for Roberts and the Knights. A runner-up finish at the Evansville Invitational proved the Knights were able to compete among the elite. They won the small college division title and were runners-up behind Marshall University. Moreover, Murray won his second straight individual title while Foerster and senior Thomas Jeschke (Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central) finished 1-2-3. The most impressive number that came out of that meet was the number eight. That is how many NCAA Division I programs the Knights defeated at the one meet. It was shaping up to be a "great night" for the Knights as they were finally leaving all their talent on the course.

A sixth-place finish at the Southeastern Classic in Louisville, Ky., showed the competition that Marian University was legit and was going to fight for every second. Murray finished seventh as the Knights proved they were ready to battle the elite in the NAIA.

It was time for the Mid-Central College Conference Championship in Fort Wayne, Ind. Coach Roberts and the Knights had been preparing for this day throughout the fall and if there was a time for them to bring home the title it was 2009. They did exactly that as Murray brought home the individual title and the Knights had captured their first-ever MCC title. Five finishers in the top 12 gave the Knights the victory by five points over Taylor University and garnered Coach Roberts his first career MCC Coach of the Year honor.

What an amazing run! It was the first time in school history that the entire team had qualified for the NAIA National Championship. In the past, the Knights sent individuals, but Coach Roberts was especially proud in 2009 as the Knights were able to take that long flight to Vancouver, Wash. The season was not over. They still had the opportunity to make history.

They did exactly that as the team earned a 20th-place finish out of 32 teams and Murray finished 26th to earn NAIA All-America honors.

It was the single greatest season in Marian University men's cross country history and the Knights own the MCC Championship for 2009.

However, the postseason accolades did not stop with Coach Roberts and Kyle Murray. Foerster, Jeschke, and sophomores Nick Sefton (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) and Derek Harris (McCordsville, Ind./Scecina Memorial) were each named All-Conference for the first time in their careers. It was a testament to their poise and commitment to the 2009 season.

Additionally, Murray and Foerster were both named Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athletes for the second time in cross country. The honor was the third for Murray and the fifth for Foerster. How can a person earn five Scholar-Athlete honors when he is only eligible after his junior season?

Well, Foerster has been named a Scholar-Athlete in soccer twice, cross country twice, and track and field once. He will be named a Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete come spring for the sixth time in his career. A tremendous feat for the quintessential student-athlete. Michael has redefined the term student-athlete and Coach Roberts is particularly proud of him for his poise and commitment to excellence.

Coach Roberts could not be a more proud coach as he led the Knights during a very special season.