Guess again. Haynes, the 2007 Division III National Indoor Men’s Track Coach of the Year, is cautious but upbeat when describing the teams’ chances at a repeat. "We lost a lot of talent on both the men’s and women’s side due to graduation," said Haynes. "We have a number of spots where we have to fill in, but I’m confident that we will get where we need to be. At the same time, we really don’t know what the other teams will be bringing to the table."

On the men’s side, Haynes returns conference champions in six events and has a talented freshman class that could have an immediate impact. "We’ve got some solid people and good numbers to start," reported Haynes. Those "solid" athletes include a number of national qualifiers.

"Our seniors have been doing an excellent job of setting a high standard in practice," praised Haynes of his three senior All-Americans. "They have taken leadership roles and that’s what we’ve come to expect from our seniors. They have certainly been a good example for our younger kids."

Senior Brad Gross (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) and juniors Jacob Stott (Morris, Ill./Coal City) and Damon Bautista (Silvis, Ill./United Township) return from last year’s conference champion sprint medley relay team. Bautista is expected to provide some punch in the middle distance events while defending conference champion Gross should have an impact in the 400-meter hurdles.

A pair of Scots who took a year off will return. Junior Sheridan Ray (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) will compete in the long jump and triple jump, where he excelled as a freshman. Senior Adam Rodriguez (Amboy, Ill./Sterling) will give the Scots some scoring power in the middle distances.

A "solid" freshman group means the Scots should be able to continue their track dominance for years to come. The freshman recruits have it covered when it comes to both track and field events. Monmouth will have some thoroughbreds in the sprints, including a pair of high school All-Staters in Jared Cernansky (Sparta, Ill./Sparta) and Kyle Prout (Chillicothe, Ill./IVC). Haynes also reports Saidu Sesay (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) is expected to be among the group of talented young sprinters competing for the "A" list.

Another strong freshman group, figuratively and literally, should be the throwers. Haynes is high on newcomers Shawn Betar (Monmouth, Ill./Monmouth-Roseville), Sam Cokinos (St. Charles, Ill./East) and Peyton Lumzy (Dixon, Ill./Dixon). The Scots could get more field event points from Michael Blodgett (Appleton, Wis./North) in the long jump and triple jump, Tyler Hannam (Woodhull, Ill./AlWood) in the high jump, and Nick Bennett (East Peoria, Ill./Metamora) in the long jump and triple jump. Bennett is also expected to contribute in the long sprints.

Haynes’ other top recruits are high school state champion Logan Hohl (Orion, Ill./Orion), hurdles; Brock McAnally (Crystal Lake, Ill./South), pole vault; and Scott Sheller (Morton, Ill./Morton), distance.

The outlook for the Scots women is a bit cloudy in the early going. "In one regard, the women are a known quality because we have some solid women coming back," reported Haynes. "We have to do what the men are hoping to do, and fill in some spots that have come open due to graduation. We lost some key contributors from a year ago."

The Scots return six athletes who posted provisional qualifying marks for last year’s nationals, either indoor or outdoor. Seniors Jenny Babos (Leland, Ill./Somonauk), discus, shot put, weight throw; Megan Clennon (Aurora, Ill./West), high jump; Megan McKenna (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection), pole vault; and Jessica White (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg), pole vault; juniors Tanesha Hughes (Peoria, Ill./Woodruff), shot put, discus; and Shannon Turczyn (Peru, Ill./LaSalle-Peru), 55- meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles will provide the base for what the Scots hope is another strong women’s team.

Monmouth isn’t hurting on the conference level, either. Turcyzn took MWC titles in the 55-meter hurdles, 100- hurdles and teamed with classmates Ashley Widdop (Reynolds, Ill./Rockridge) and Katey Vaccarello (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine Township) to capture the 4x200 relay. Vaccarello and Turczyn were also part of the championship 4x400 relay. Vaccarello also won the 400- hurdles. Fellow junior Lauren Firchau (Elburn, Ill./Kaneland)joined Turczyn to capture the 4x100 league title. Clennon returns as a two-time winner in the high jump. McKenna is the defending champion in the long jump and triple jump and White holds two pole vault titles. Babos is back to defend her weight throw title and Hughes is last season’s discus champion.

"We should be pretty strong in the field events," predicted Haynes. "I think our sprints and distance events will get better as the year goes on, but we’ll have our work cut out for us."

Joining a veteran group in the field events will be freshmen throwers Samantha Bleyaert (Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island), Maureen Dewan (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest), and Allison Renfro (Rockford, Ill./Boylan). The Scots will add to their pole vault threat with last year’s high school state qualifier, freshman Whitney Didier (Dixon, Ill./Dixon). Rounding out the impressive freshman field event recruits are high jumpers Heather Hull (Cambridge, Ill./Cambridge) and Sarah Stinson (Kewanee, Ill./Wethersfield), and All-Stater Morgan Leffel (Viola, Ill./Sherrard), who will compete in the long jump and sprints.

Monmouth hopes a good cross country season will translate into a strong group of distance runners for the spring. Cross country all-conference runners, sophomore Katie Staab (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and freshman Mary Kate Beyer (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) along with sophomores Sara Ditzler (Freeport, Ill./Freeport) and Amy Aghababian (St. Charles, Ill./Central), will anchor the group of distance runners.

Haynes expects veteran sprinters Vaccarello, Widdop and Turczyn will get help from Firchau and Leffel in the 200- and 400- meters. Freshmen Jae Moore (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame) and Michelle Nutting (St. Charles, Ill./Francis Howell) are being counted on to add depth and points in the middle sprints. "I feel good about the personnel we’ll have for the relays," said Haynes. "I hope someone becomes that standout leadoff runner or anchor that we’ve traditionally had. We’re pretty even in all of our relays right now, but we’d like someone to step to the front of that group and I think they will."

Haynes and his staff are ready to get the first meet under their collective belts and see exactly how the team is progressing. "We’re pretty solid in the hurdles, but we’re relatively untested as a group in the other track events," he said.

Untested as a whole they may be, but the Scots boast a roster with six All-Americans and 18 athletes with a conference tile. If that is any indication, look for the Scots’ men and women to pass the test with an "A" once the Midwest Conference meet rolls around in March.