WAVERLY - Wartburg cross country coach Steve Johnson held nothing back when asked about the expectations for his defending Iowa Conference women's team.

With plenty of talent returning from a fourth-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Division III national cross country championships and national championships in indoor and outdoor track and field, Johnson has set the bar high.

"We won national championships in indoor and outdoor track … we'd like one in cross country," Johnson said. "I've got a great group back. It's one of the most mature teams we've ever had, and they are serious and really ready to go."

The Knights return all but one of their top runners.

Leading the way is returning all-American senior Anna Kraayenbrink (24th), senior twins Jennifer and Amanda Kuiken, senior Brendelyn White, junior Lori Tlach and sophomore Laura Sigmund.

The Kuikens, White and Tlach all earned all-conference honors last year, and the returning group is bolstered by senior Nicole Calabrese, an all-conference performer in both cross country and track during her Knight career who missed all of last season with a nagging injury.

"This group has big plans," Johnson said. "They all want to go out on top."

The story for Wartburg's men squad is different. All-American Brian Chenoweth is gone, and Johnson will field one of his youngest groups. Two-thirds of the roster are freshmen and sophomores.

"We've had a couple of big graduating classes," Johnson said. "It was a little bit of a rebuilding project last year because we graduated a lot of the farm two seasons ago.

"But we've got a good, young freshman group and a bunch of guys who are hungry."

The Knights' top returners are seniors Jon Stover and Luke Appleton and junior Nick Lee.

Johnson also likes sophomore Sam Sturtz of Waterloo West.

"Sam has logged some miles," Johnson said. "He is going to be really good. People are going to watch him and are going to say, 'Who is that guy?' He's real hungry, has matured a ton since his freshman year last year and is going to be a frontrunner."

At Luther College, the Norse are the defending men's conference champions, returning five all-conference performers although they graduated all-American David McKay.

Sophomore Shane Steele leads the way, while juniors Erik Johnson, Kyle Buck and Jordan Lang, as well as senior Drew Burmhal, all return.

The Norse women were hit hard by graduation as they lost two-time all-American Janet Dobyns, as well as all-region performers Elise Bennett and Flannery Cerbin from their seventh-place national meet team.

Seniors Becky Eckerman and Katie Dolan, along with junior Annie McKay, are all returning all-conference runners.

Wartburg

Head coach: Steve Johnson

Top returners: Men - Jon Stover, jr.; Luke Appleton, sr.; Jordan Paulus, sr.; Joel Francis, sr. Nick Lee, jr.; Sam Sturtz, so. Women - Anna Kraayenbrink, sr.; Jennifer Kuiken, sr.; Amanda Kuiken, sr.; Nicole Calabrese, sr.; Brendelyn White, sr.; Lori Tlach, jr.; Laura Sigmund, so.

2009 schedule

Sept. 4 - At Black Hills Invitational (Spearfish, S.D.)

Sept. 12 - At Les Duke Invitational (Grinnell)

Sept. 19 - At Woody Greeno Invitational (Lincoln, Neb.)

Sept. 26 - At Roy Griak Invitaitonal (Minneapolis)

Oct. 10 - Dan Huston Invitational

Oct. 17 - At UW-La Crosse Invitational

Oct. 31 - Iowa Conference championships (Waverly)

Nov. 14 - Central Regionals (Grinnell)

Nov. 21 - NCAA Division III championships (Cleveland, Ohio)

Luther

Head men's coach: Steve Pasche

Head women's coach: Yarrow Pasche

Top returners: Men - Erik Johnson, jr.; Kyle Buck, jr.; Drew Burmhal, sr.; Jordan Lang, jr.; Shane Steele, so. Women - Becky Eckerman, sr.; Katie Dolan, sr.; Annie McKay, jr.

2009 schedule

Sept. 5 - At Dutch Invitaitonal (Pella)

Sept. 12 - 38th All-American Invitational

Sept. 26 - At Roy Griak Invitaitonal (Minneapolis)

Oct. 2 - At UW-Eau Claire Invitational

Oct. 10 - At St. Kate's Invitational (St. Paul, Minn.)

Oct. 17 - At UW-La Crosse Invitational

Oct. 23 - UW-La Crosse dual

Oct. 31 - Iowa Conference championships (Waverly)

Nov. 14 - Central Regionals (Grinnell)

Nov. 21 - NCAA Division III championships (Cleveland, Ohio)