By Jennifer Toland
Telegram & Gazette Staff
Telegram & Gazette Article

Worcester State's Mia Rogers was the 2015 MASCAC Women's Rookie of the Year, she set a personal record at this year's UMass-Dartmouth Invitational, and the next week won the Worcester City Meet. Lancers coach Gary Jusseaume thinks Rogers' collegiate cross-country career is off to a great start, but he predicts even bigger things for her.

"I don't think she's anywhere near accomplishing what she'll accomplish in the next two years," Jusseaume said. "This is a breakthrough year for her. Next year will be a tremendous opportunity for her, and her senior year you can only guess what's going to happen. Her progress from the first meet of her freshman year to today is always moving forward. She's a fierce competitor. Her concentration is very intense."

The 5-foot-1 Rogers ran distance events for her indoor and outdoor track teams at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School. She picked up cross-country as a senior.

"Doing cross-country in college was a lot harder for me, a lot longer and harder for me to get used to," she said. "I've had a really good season so far. The first race was a little tough, but as each race has gone on, I'm improving more and more."

Jusseaume said Rogers' times are between a minute and a minute, 20 seconds faster this year than all of last year.

"She's matured as a runner," Jusseaume said. "She's very dedicated to her workouts every day. She never takes the easy route. She's one of the young ladies we have to put a hold on sometimes because she has a tendency to push herself and overwork."

Rogers said, yes, that's true. Her coaches sometimes have to rein her in.

"Sometimes I do push myself a little more than I should," she said, "but Gary is really good at letting me know where I should be. I'm pretty competitive in everything I do."

Setting a personal best of 18:57.4 at UMass-Dartmouth was Rogers' highlight of the season so far.

"That was one of her finest tactical races she's run," Jusseaume said. "Coming into the finish area, 200 meters out, a lot of the runners were looking exhausted, where Mia didn't have that same appearance. She looked like she could have gone a little further."

Rogers was second at last year's Worcester City Meet and fourth (top freshman) at the MASCAC Championships. She's looking to improve her placement at this year's MASCAC Championships, which will be held Saturday at Doyle Reservation in Leominster.

The Lancers opened the season on that course at the Jim Sheehan Memorial Invitational hosted by Fitchburg State. Rogers came in second and led the Lancers to second place in the women's team standings.

"I'm very familiar with the course, and I'm really excited," Rogers said. "I think I'll be able to do really well, and I think our team will do really well."

The Westfield State women have won 13 straight MASCAC titles. Westfield State junior Jessie Cardin of Sutton is the two-time defending women's individual champion.

Fitchburg State will look to defend its 2015 men's title.