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(10/01/08 4:00pm)
The men's and women's cross country teams had a successful trip to Haverford, Pa., at the Mainline Invitational on Sept. 23, as senior Martine McGrath struck gold in the women's three-mile race, leading a parade of Lions who cracked the top 10 for both squads.
Teams from Swarthmore College, Haverford College, Villanova University and Bryn Mawr College competed at the small-scale, non-scored meet.
"We don't always need to compete in a 'hyped-up' atmosphere," said head coach Phil Jennings. "Both teams definitely improved from the Princeton meet, which shows that we are taking a step in the right direction."
The defending gold medalist in the three-mile contest, McGrath didn't disappoint as she captured first place once again, in a time of 17:43.11, outlasting the field of 66.
"It was a good confidence booster for races to come," McGrath said.
Following the pace set by McGrath, senior Stephanie Herrick crossed the finish line in a time of 17:52.81, claiming second place.
Junior Michelle Wallace did not stray too far from the leaders, placing fourth (18:11.31). Juniors Megan Donovan (11th place, 18:51.03) and Nicole Ullmeyer (15th place, 19:03.67) rounded out the squad's top five.
The Lions had six competitors finish in the top 20, including senior Sara Best, who came in just behind Ullmeyer (16th place, 19:07.97).
As for the male harriers, senior captain Chris Guerriero finished 10th out of 97 runners, pacing the Lions throughout the four-mile race in 20:23.91.
Sophomore TJ Bocchino was a breath behind Guerriero, picking up 11th place in 20:25.25.
Freshman Alex Yersak continued to prove himself as a strong competitor, finishing in 23rd place (20:51.89).
Junior Brandon Rodkewitz (35th place, 21:15.83) and sophomore Dennis Waite (37th place, 21:18.19) completed the Lions' top five.
"The younger guys on the team are such hard-working guys," Guerriero said. "You can clearly tell their attitudes are going to reflect our performances."
Both the men's and women's teams are scheduled to race Friday at the Paul Short Invitational. The event will be hosted by Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.
(09/17/08 4:00pm)
This past Saturday, the men's and women's cross country teams opened their seasons at the Old Nassau Run in Princeton, posting impressive finishes against a field made up of NCAA Division I squads.
Leading the pack for the men was senior Chris Guerriero, who finished fifth, crossing the finish line in 19:40.9. Following Guerriero's lead was freshman Alex Yersak. The newcomer was 23rd with a time of 20:28.4.
Senior Josh Krowicki (43rd place in 21:07.0), junior Brandon Rodkewitz (44th place in 21:07.1), sophomore Dennie Waite (47th place in 21:26) and senior Mike Fonder (49th place in 21:34.1) also finished in the top 50 for the Lions.
The men's combined scores earned them a fifth-place finish in the team standings of the 6-kilometer race. Host team Princeton waltzed into the team winner's circle with 16 points. Guerriero's fifth-place finish broke up the Tigers' attempt at a perfect sweep, as 15 is the lowest number of points a team can post in a cross country meet.
According to the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Division III poll, the men's team is currently ranked 22nd.
The women's team also traveled to Princeton, where senior Stephanie Herrick paced the Lions' harriers to a solid season opener.
Herrick was top finisher for all Division III competitors, stopping the clock in 23:33.3 and crossing the line in 30th place.
Fellow senior Martine McGrath was just behind with a time of 23:57, finishing in 40th place. Junior Michelle Wallace rounded out the women, placing 54th in 24:32.3.
The team placed a strong emphasis on mental preparation during pre-season practices. Entering the first meet of the season, the team felt strong and ready, according to McGrath.
"Our coaches do a really good job at preparing us for success in our seasons," she said.
The women's hard work shone through as they finished ninth at this challenging season opener. Georgetown University claimed the top spot in the meet with 28 points. Villanova settled for second place with 60.
Based upon the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country poll, the women are ranked 15th among NCAA Division III schools.
Both the men's and the women's cross country teams will travel to Haverford, Pa., to compete in the Mainline Invitational on Sept. 23. In the past, the College has been successful at this meet, capturing many individual gold medals.
(04/30/08 4:00pm)
The College had a busy weekend competing in its second at-home meet, hosting the annual Lions' Invitational as well as attending the prestigious Penn Relays.
More than 30 teams met on the track to compete in the non-team scoring events. Teams from all three NCAA divisions competed along with several junior colleges.
"A lot of our families and friends came to support us and the encouragement they give is really meaningful especially during a race," sophomore distance runner Michelle Wallace said.
In the 400-meter hurdles, junior Otto Katt placed second overall and earned an East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying time of 56.85 seconds. Senior Andy Lim took third place in the triple jump with a leap of 13.35 meters. In the long jump he placed fourth with a distance of 6.60 meters. Both marks met ECAC standards.
Other highlight performances came from senior Galen Johnson in the 1,500-meters. Johnson finished fifth with a time of 4:03.98. Senior Pat Flinn also had a solid meet. He placed in both the 100-and 200-meter dashes. Flinn was 10th in 11.75 seconds for the 100-meters, and eighth in the 200-meters with a sprint of 23.30 seconds.
The College had two top-10 performances in the high jump. Freshman Shawn Rembecky took fourth as he cleared 1.85 meters, while freshman Oluwaseye Akele was ninth at 1.75 meters.
"The later it gets into the season the harder it becomes to qualify for certain championship meets," Akele said. "If I am able to make it to compete at those types of meets than I know, naturally, that I will have improved."
In the throwing events, senior Brian Donatelli captured fifth in the shot put (14.76 meters) and seventh in the hammer throw (43.66 meters). Donatelli's shot put performance earned him an ECAC appearance. Sophomore Steve Liccketto also earned an ECAC distance in the shot put. Liccketto was eighth in the event with a distance of 14.43 meters. Additionally, he took seventh in the hammer throw with 42.36 meters.
Senior Jessica Bonelli met a NCAA provisional time in the 400 meters, finishing in 56.09 seconds and capturing first place. In the 1,500 meters, sophomore Michelle Wallace had a personal record. Wallace took sixth and met an ECAC time of 4:54.89.
"It had been a goal of mine to get to that time," Wallace said. "I think the team is really starting to come together and our hard work that we have been putting in is paying off."
Sophomore Priscilla Senyah had an impressive meet. She took fourth in the 100-meter high hurdles, capturing an ECAC time with her 15.37 second-place finish. Senyah was also seventh in the 100-meter dash (13.20 seconds).
In the 400-meter hurdles, freshman Alexandra Tomaselli's time of 1:07.48 received a seventh-place finish. Junior Justine Carnevale was eighth in the 800 meters (2:25.44), while senior Lauren Pfeifer took sixth in the 200 meters (27.47 seconds).
In the field events, sophomore Danielle Kedzierski placed sixth in the javelin with a toss of 31.80 meters. Pfeifer contributed a fifth-place finish in the pole vault as she cleared an ECAC height of 3.37 meters.
While hosting the annual Lions' Invitational, other track team members headed to the University of Pennsylvania to compete at the Penn Relays.
The men's 4x400-meter relay took part in the meet and had a solid performance, posting an ECAC-qualifying time. Representing the College was junior Pasquale DiGioacchino, freshman Jule Brooks, freshman Kyle Gilroy and sophomore DeShard Stevens. Together they posted a time of 3:19.57.
The women's 4x800-meter relay attended the Penn Relays and claimed the top performance of the day. The team of junior Stephanie Herrick, sophomore Jianna Spadaccini, senior Sara Best and freshman Meryl Wimberly placed seventh. They set a school record in a time of 9:08.95.
The women's 4x400-meter relay also traveled to the competition. The quartet of Bonelli, Herrick, Spadaccini and freshman Meryl Wimberly posted a NCAA provisional time of 3:51.33.
Junior Martine McGrath individually competed in the 5,000 meters on Thursday and clocked a finishing time of 17:56.78.
The team now has the championship season ahead of them. Based on the performances so far, the results look promising. Entering this portion of the season, the team feels strong.
"We have been preparing for this portion since fall training," Akele said. "Our first focus is to ensure we win NJACs and as our competition gets tougher it will better prepare the team for Nationals."
"As a team we have very high expectations," head coach Eric Mobley said. "We experienced a few injuries to some key people, and these are things we can't change. However, I'm happy to see the team come together, despite these setbacks, and I'm very proud of all their hard work."
(04/23/08 12:00pm)
The track and field teams competed in a pair of meets this past weekend. The first was the Larry Ellis Invitational hosted by Princeton University, followed by the Greyhound Invitational at Moravian College the next day.
The team performed well at both meets, but the marks from the Greyhound Invitational were overwhelming. Freshman Dennie Waite won the 1,500-meter race, clocking a personal best and meet record of 3:38.31 and qualifying for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship.
Freshman TJ Bocchino was an ECAC qualifier in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, placing third (9:52.96). Senior Andy Lim earned two ECAC distances in the jumping events, taking sixth in the triple jump (13.18 meters) and ninth in the long jump (6.56 meters).
Freshman hurdler Kyle Gilroy placed in both the 110- and 400-meter hurdles. In the 110 high hurdles, Gilroy placed sixth (15.21). He was ninth in the 400 hurdles, finishing in 55.92 seconds. Both of these times met ECAC standards.
In the 800-meter, senior Josh Krowicki claimed fifth in 1:57.77. Freshman Tim Blashford cleared 14.3 meters in the pole vault, taking ninth.
Freshman Jule Brooks earned a ECAC time in the 400 meters. Brooks was 12th in the race with a time of 50.34 seconds. He also added a 14th-place performance in the 200-meter.
Sophomore Steve Liccketto threw a personal best in the hammer throw (41.82 meters).
The women added numerous ECAC marks and two more NCAA provision marks at the Greyhound Invitational.
In the 3,000 steeplechase, sophomore Michelle Wallace took first and captured an ECAC-worthy time (11:56.27).
Senior Jessica Bonelli won the 200-meter, finishing in 25.16 seconds. Later, she was part of the NCAA provisional time-earning 4x100-meter relay team. Freshman Meryl Wimberly, sophomore Priscilla Senyah and junior Kristen Tricocci joined Bonelli for a combined time of 48.64 seconds.
Bonelli also captured an ECAC slot in the 100-meter. She placed fifth in 12.59 seconds.
The ladies had three runners place in the top 20 of the 400-meter race, all earning ECAC marks. Spadaccini finished in 58.32 seconds, followed by Wimberly in 59.08 seconds, and freshman Alexandra Tomaselli at 60.09 seconds.
Junior Justine Carnevale had a personal best in the 1,500-meter run. She was fifth in a time of 4:59.08. Additionally, sophomore Meghan Miller was sixth in the 400-meter hurdles with an ECAC time of 66.09 seconds.
The women's team had a strong showing at the Larry Ellis Invitational in the 800-meter race. Junior Stephanie Herrick led the way as she finished third in the race. Herrick clocked an automatic NCAA time of 2:10.44. Teammate Jianna Spadaccini also met an NCAA provisional time, picking up a 14th-place finished with a time of 2:14.75. Completing the Lions' appearance in the event was Wimberly, who took 20th in the large field and earned an ECAC-worthy time of 2:15.75.
Junior Martine McGrath met ECAC standards in the 5,000-meter and earned fifth place (17:55.06).
For the men, junior Pasquale DiGioacchino qualified for the ECAC Championships in the 800-meter (1:54.92). In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, senior Galen Johnson earned a place in the ECAC Championship, finishing in 9:38.27.
The teams will continue their seasons this weekend as they host their second home meet, the Lions' Invitational. Competition is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 4 p.m.
(04/16/08 4:00pm)
For the first time this season, the track and field team competed at home as it hosted the New Jersey Invitational. Taking comfort in the home-track advantage, the Lions had two NCAA provisional marks as well as a school record.
The men's 4x1,500-meter relay team set the school record. Freshman TJ Bocchino, freshman Dennie Waite, senior Galen Johnson and senior Josh Krowicki broke the previous record by eight seconds in a time of 16:44.28. The team placed second overall.
The men also took three of the top four spots in the 400-meter hurdles. Freshman Kyle Gilroy (second place, 55.41 seconds), sophomore Al Wonesh (third place, 55.66) and junior Otto Katt (fourth place, 56.79 seconds) all ran Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) standards in the event.
Junior Pasquale DiGioacchino was an additional ECAC qualifier. DiGioacchino won the 800-meter in 1:55.95. Senior Brian Kopnicki also captured gold in the 5,000-meter run, winning the race in 15:32.45 for another ECAC mark.
"The team went out, raced hard, and it showed," DiGioacchino said. "We had a lot of high finishers, which is encouraging because it proves everyone is competing well."
Sophomore Steve Liccketto placed in three field events. He was second in the shot put (14.47 meters), third in the hammer throw (39.42 meters) and fifth in the discus (40.45 meters).
The women's 4x400 relay team ran an NCAA provisional time. Senior Jessica Bonelli, freshman Rochelle Prevard, sophomore Jianna Spadaccini and freshman Meryl Wimberly captured the victory, clocking a time of 3:51.44.
Spadaccini won the 800-meter in 2:18.15 while Bonelli was fourth in the 400-meter with 58.05 seconds. Both runners qualified for the ECAC Championships.
Junior Kristen Tricocci also had an NCAA provisional mark. Jumping 5.62 meters, Tricocci leaped her way to a first-place victory.
In the 100-meter high hurdles, sophomore Priscilla Senyah was an ECAC qualifier. Senyah finished in third place and ran a time of 15.27 seconds. Senior Lauren Pfeifer met an ECAC-qualifying height in the pole vault and placed third, clearing 3.25 meters.
As for the field events, sophomore Ashley Krauss had a toss of 40.30 meters and placed third in the hammer throw.
The fans seemed to contribute to the team's solid performances this week.
"I love coming down the straightaway and hearing people screaming for me," DiGioacchino said.
The College community has a chance to show its support for the track and field team as it competes at home again on April 25 and 26.
(04/09/08 4:00pm)
This past weekend, the Lions' outdoor track and field teams took on Division I opponents in the two-day Sam Howell Invitational, hosted by Princeton University.
"Everyone has a positive attitude toward the season," head coach Eric Mobley said. "The team really competed well this week. We had individuals run events they never ran before, and everyone really just went out there to have fun."
As the only NCAA Division III team in the field of the 4x100-meter relay, the men's quartet picked up a seventh-place finish. Sophomore DeShard Stevens, senior Steven Murray and freshmen Jule Brooks and Kyle Gilroy achieved an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC)-qualifying time of 44.23 seconds.
In the 400-meter intermediate hurdles, junior Al Wonesh ran a 56.52 (an ECAC-qualifying time) to finish the race in ninth place.
Freshman Tim Blashford and junior Pasquale DiGioacchino boasted additional ECAC marks. Blashford cleared 4.30 meters, a personal best, in the pole vault on his first attempt, and DiGioacchino placed 13th in the 400 meters in 50.65 seconds.
"We usually go to meets where we are one of few, if not the only, Division III school," Blashford said. "When we go up against Division I schools we're pushed a lot more, and this is probably the reason for the numerous ECAC qualifiers."
Other highlights came in the 800-meter race. With three runners placing in the top 20, the College had a strong showing in the event. Freshman Dennie Waite captured 17th in 1:57.41. Senior Galen Johnson placed 18th (1:57.57). Senior Josh Krowicki completed the trio, crossing the finish line with a time of 1:57.60 (20th place).
The women had two runners meet NCAA provisional times. Junior Martine McGrath won the 10K in 36:08.02, and junior Stephanie Herrick took fourth in the 1,500-meter, clocking a time of 4:36.71.
McGrath, running the 10K for the first time in her career, surprised herself.
"I was really excited to run that fast," McGrath said. "I got in a rhythm and before I knew it the race was almost done."
Contributing to the rhythm of excellence, senior Jessica Bonelli collected three ECAC marks, including two individual marks. The later was met as a member of the 4x100 meter relay team. Unaided, Bonelli placed sixth in the 200 meter (25.79) and seventh in the 100 meter (12.79). Sophomore Pricilla Senyah, junior Kristen Tricocci and sophomore Meghan Miller accompanied Bonelli on the fifth-place relay team.
Senyah also earned double ECAC marks with her efforts in the 100-meter high hurdles (15.46 seconds). The College had two runners finish behind one another in the 400-meter, both of whom also met ECAC standards. Freshman Meryl Wimberly placed ninth in a time of 58.12, while sophomore Jianna Spadaccini was a stride behind, taking 10th in 58.48 seconds.
Sophomore Michelle Wallace finished the 3,000 meters in 10:40.57. Junior Megan Donovan crossed the finish of the 5,000 meters in a time of 18:40.98. Based on their times, both runners earned themselves a spot in the ECAC Championships.
This upcoming Saturday, the College will host the New Jersey Invitational. With crowd enthusiasm on their side, the team is expected to excel and make some serious impressions racing for the first time this season at home.
"Being at home usually brings more people you know," said Blashford, "and it's always meaningful to do well while your friends and family are watching."
(04/02/08 4:00pm)
The track and field team travelled to Atlanta, Ga., this past weekend to kick off the outdoor season. They participated in the two-day Emory Classic, hosted by Emory University, where the College turned in numerous post-season qualifying marks.
The men won the invitational Emory Asics Classic with 167 points while the women claimed third with 95 points.
"It's always nice to compete in new places and against new competition," sophomore field team member Martin Brown said. "Plus the weather was warmer than competing up here, so overall, it was a great experience."
The first day of the competition brought victory in the women's field events. The Lions took three of five top places in the shot put. Freshman Sarah Wehrhan won the event with a mark of 11.10 meters.
Freshman Cristina D'Amato was fourth with a throw of 10.68 meters, while sophomore Ashley Krauss finished fifth with a toss of 10.58 meters.
Krauss and Wehrhan also competed in the hammer throw. Krauss placed second (40.63 meters) and Wehrhan finished right behind her to capture third (38.81 meters).
In the javelin, sophomore Danielle Kedzerieski was third with a throw of 26.53 meters. Junior Kristen Tricocci cleared a height of 1.56 meters in the high jump to become the third-place finisher. Tricocci also competed in the long jump, where she tied for second place with a jump of 5.28 meters.
Junior Nicole Ullmeyer rounded out the first day of competition in the 10,000-meter run, the longest distance event of the meet. She placed fourth overall (41:40.51).
Contributing to the third-place overall standing, junior Stephanie Herrick met a NCAA provision time in the 800 meters. Clocking in at 2:13.54, Herrick placed second in the race. Sophomore teammate Jianna Spadaccini was fourth in the event, meeting an East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) time in 2:17.56.
Senior Jessica Bonelli brought home an individual gold medal in the 400 meters, running a time of 58.22 seconds. Also in the 400 meters, freshman Meryl Wimberly was second in 58.27 seconds. Both were ECAC-qualifying times.
Senior Lauren Pfeiffer finished third in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 3.07 meters, while junior Megan Donovan had a personal-best run in the 1,500 meters.
The women's relay teams both took first-place spots. The 4x100-meter relay team earned an ECAC time and top honors with a combined time of 49.32 seconds. Sophomore Priscilla Senyah, sophomore Meghan Miller, Tricocci and Bonelli ran in the event.
Miller also had a second-place victory in the 400 hurdles (1:08.28) and a fourth-place finish in the 100 hurdles (15.99). Senyah captured second place in the 100-meter hurdles in an ECAC-standard time of 15.85 seconds. Junior Kristen Gerbehy also competed in the event and finished fifth for the Lions.
Freshman Rochelle Prevard, Spadaccini, Bonelli and Wimberly added another ECAC- worthy time event in the 4x400-meter relay (3:56.37).
For the first-place-finishing men, senior Brian Donatelli was fourth in the hammer throw (43.18 meters), while sophomore Martin Brown was eighth (38.23 meters). Senior Galen Johnson took fifth in the steeplechase, finishing in a time of 9:48.90.
"It was a great start to the season," Brown said. "Everyone just wanted to get some good marks and times to build upon for the rest of the Spring season, and we accomplished this goal."
In the long-jump event, senior Andy Lim leaped 6.22 meters (eighth place) to add another top finish to the College's total.
Highlights from day two of the meet began with Donatelli's victory in the shot put with a toss of 14.21 meters. In the discus, he was second with a distance of 38.90 meters.
Freshmen Tim Blashford and Kyle Gilroy met ECAC standards with second-place finishes in both the pole vault and high hurdles, respectively. Blashford cleared 4.25 meters in the vault, and Gilroy finished his event with a time of 15.46.
Gilroy also added a fourth-place finish and an ECAC time in the 400 intermediate hurdles (55.19). In the 400-meter dash sophomore DeShard Stevens took fifth, clocking a time of 51.79 seconds.
Junior Pasquale DiGioacchino added a fifth-place finish in the 800 meters (1:57.58), while freshman Oluwaseye Akele jumped his way to a fourth-place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 12.52 meters.
Sealing their first-place victory, the men's 4x100-meter relay team ranked fifth and met an ECAC standard. The quartet comprised senior Steve Murray, freshman Jule Brooks, Gilroy and Stevens, who ran a combined time of 43.57.
With successful season openers under their belts, the teams will head to Widener University this weekend to face their next opponents.
(03/19/08 4:00pm)
Although students at the College were on a break from classes and activities, the track and field teams did not take a rest from their seasons.
The women's team competed in the 2008 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio.
Junior Stephanie Herrick was named the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III Indoor Athlete of the Year.
She also secured All-America honors thanks to her performances. Herrick captured seventh in both the one-mile run (5:05.20) and 800-meter race (2:17.46).
Junior Martine McGrath captured 12th in the 5,000 meters, clocking a time of 18:22.73. Junior Kristen Tricocci placed fourth in the long jump.
Tricocci achieved a season-best with a jump of 5.56 meters and also earned herself All-America honors.
Competing for the women's distance medley team was freshman Meryl Wimberly, freshman Rochelle Prevard, sophomore Jianna Spadaccini and McGrath.
The relay team finished its combined effort in 12:29.86, putting it in 10th place.
At the IC4A Championships, held at Boston University on March 8, the men's 4x400 relay team met an NCAA provisional time.
Junior Rob McGowan, sophomore DeShard Stevens, junior Pasquale DiGioacchino and senior Steve Murray combined for the effort with a finishing time of 3:17.15.
The other medley team, comprised of freshman Dennie Waite, senior Josh Krowicki, senior Brian Kopnicki and Stevens, competed in the distance medley relay and had an impressive time of 10:16.80.
During the opening day of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships hosted by Harvard University on March 7, both senior Brian Donatelli and McGrath met NCAA provisional standards in their events.
McGrath placed second in the 5,000-meter run with a personal-best time of 17:16.60. With a heave of 15.92 meters, Donatelli took third place in the shot put.
Also, on the first day of competition, junior Kristen Gerbehy finished sixth in the pentathlon with 2,606 points.
Stevens, who was a member of the two relay teams at the IC4A meet, placed second in the ECAC 500-meter race with a time of 1:05.93. In a time of 8:51.45, freshman T.J. Bocchino won his section and took 10th place overall in the 3,000 meters.
"We finished the season pretty strong and I'm extremely proud of all our accomplishments," Bocchino said."I have no complaints."
At the completion of the ECACs the women's team finished in fifth place with 40 points.
Stephanie Herrick contributed in a big way to this accomplishment. Herrick broke both her personal school records and set a meet record in the 1,000-meter run with a final time of 2:53.46.
The mile-relay team captured a second-place finish with a time of 3:57.72. Tricocci, Spadaccini, Wimberly and senior Jessica Bonelli ran the event for the Lions.
Spadaccini also contributed a third-place finish in the 500 meters in a time of 1:18.50, while Tricocci added a fifth-place finish in the long jump (5.26 meters).
Wimberly and Bonelli also competed in the 400 meters to place eighth (58.63) and 10th (59.52), respectively.
Additionally, sophomore Michelle Wallace captured ninth in the 3,000 meters, completing the race in 10:43.11.
For the field team, sophomore Ashley Krauss had a personal-best toss in the weight throw, which was 13.49 meters.
Now that the successful indoor track and field season has come to a close, the team looks toward the outdoor season to continue to build on a strong foundation.
(03/05/08 5:00pm)
Not even a week after the outstanding performances met at last week's New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships, the College headed to the 168th Street Armory to compete in the NYU FasTrack Invitational where they racked up even more NCAA and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) marks.
Junior Stephanie Herrick had a shining race in the one-mile run. Placing fourth in 4:56.25, Herrick achieved a school record. Her run earned her an NCAA provisional mark, as she was the top NCAA Division III finisher in the event.
The women's 4x400-meter relay team also met NCAA provisional standards. Junior Kristen Tricocci, senior Jessica Bonelli, sophomore Jianna Spadaccini and freshman Meryl Wimberly combined to finish with a time of 3:57.55.
Tricocci also posted an NCAA provisional distance in the long jump. She was seventh overall and jumped 5.45 meters. Also, Bonelli met an ECAC qualifier in the 400-meter dash, posting a time of 59.86 seconds.
Junior Martine McGrath finished in second place in the 5,000-meter run with an ECAC-worthy time of 17:39.31. Additional ECAC standards were met in the 800-meter by Wimberly and Spadaccini. Wimberly was 10th in 2:19.11, while Spandaccini took 16th in 2:20.16.
Other ECAC qualifiers were posted by sophomore Michelle Wallace in the 3,000 meters (10:49.64) and junior Justine Carnevale in the 1,000 meters (3:08.96).
"It was a really exciting meet," said Wallace. "It was the last chance for a lot of us to make ECAC's and a good amount of people stepped up to the challenge and met the qualifying standards."
For the field team, sophomore Ashley Krauss had both a personal-best and ECAC distance in the weight throw with a distance of 13.48 meters (ninth place).
As for the men's team, it were still a little worn out from the NJAC competition.
The 4x400 relay team boasted an ECAC qualifying time as well as a season-best performance, but fell one second short of a national mark. They placed eighth overall and ran a 3:20.18. Junior Rob McGowan, sophomore DeShard Stevens, senior Steve Murray and freshman Kyle Gilroy ran in the event for the College.
Senior Galen Johnson was 28th in the one-mile race, crossing the line in 4:24.55. Senior Josh Krowicki ran a time of 1:58.46 in the 800 meters to finish 26th. Junior Pasquale DiGioacchino also ran in the event, placing 41st in 2:00.63. Senior Brian Donatelli placed seventh in the shot put with a throw of 14.91 meters.
Many decisions need to be made this week to determine who from the team will compete at the IC4A Championships and who will head to the ECAC Championships.
"In preparation the team just needs to rest," McGowan said. "It's been a rough week with three days of competition."
(02/27/08 5:00pm)
The College kicked off the championship season this past weekend with the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The first portion of the meet, the weight throw competition, was held on Friday.
Senior Brian Donatelli defended his championship title and was named a Gerrity Award winner as the Most Outstanding Male Athlete. Donatelli hit an Eastern College Athletic Conference- (ECAC) qualifying throw of 16.14 meters.
Also finishing within the top 10 for the men were sophomore Zach Goldstein (12.85 meters), freshman Alexander Necovski (12.23 meters) and sophomore Steve Liccketto (11.78 meters).
The women also produced impressive results. Freshman Sarah Wehrhan placed second, producing an ECAC-qualifying mark on her final attempt of 13.82 meters.
Taking fourth place in the event was sophomore Ashley Krauss with 13.11 meters, while teammates freshman Cristina D'Amato (11.28 meters) and sophomore Danielle Kedzierski (10.27 meters) placed eighth and ninth, respectively.
On Monday, the College won its 11th consecutive NJAC championship. The men finished 31 points ahead of second-place Ramapo College.
Freshman Kyle Gilroy placed fifth in the men's 55-meter hurdles (7.91) and junior Rob McGowan took second place in the 400 meter (50.74).
Junior Pasqual DiGioacchino brought home the gold in the 800 meter in 1:58.60. Freshman Dennie Waite (4:19.57) and senior Brian Kopnicki (4:21.67) posted a 1-2 finish in the mile.
Junior Chris Guerriero, junior Kyle Alpaugh, freshman TJ Bocchino and sophomore Brandon Rodkewitz all placed among the top five finishers in the 3,000-meter run. Guerriero also won the 5,000-meter run (15:19.19).
The women blew away the competition with a 184-point victory.
Junior Stephanie Herrick won the mile run in 5:00.87, both an NJAC record and an NCAA provisional time. She also won the 800 meter (2:23.34). Herrick was also named a Gerrity Award winner for Most Outstanding Female Athlete.
Additionally in the 800 meter, the College had a 1-2-3 finish. Behind Herrick were teammates freshman Meryl Wimberley (second, 2:23.47) and sophomore Jianna Spadaccini (third, 2:25.02).
The women also had an impressive showing in the mile run. With Herrick's victory paving the way, junior Martine McGrath placed second in 5:02.93. Senior Heather Garleb was fourth (5:29.81) while junior Julie Ullmeyer took fifth (5:29.82).
Three athletes finished from the College in the 55-meter hurdles. Sophomore Meghan Miller took second place in 8.86. Sophomore Priscilla Senyah captured fourth (8.92 seconds), while junior Kristen Gerbehy was sixth (9.08).
In the 200-meter dash, junior Kristen Tricocci placed third in 26.93 seconds. Tricocci also won the women's long jump (5.26 meters). Senior Jessica Bonelli ran a 1:00.86 in the finals of the 400-meter dash to capture second place while freshman Alexandra Tomaselli placed fourth in 1:02.33.
The track teams will compete again on Friday in New York at the New York University FasTrack Invitational.
(02/20/08 5:00pm)
In their final meet prior to the championship season, the members of the track and field teams continued to outshine their best performances.
The Rider-Lafayette Invitational was held at the 168th Street Armory in New York City and mainly featured NCAA Division I competitors.
Senior Brian Kopnicki had a ninth-place finish and an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying time of 4:16.31 in the mile.
Freshman Tom Bocchino also had a strong showing in the mile race, finishing in a time of 4:28.17.
Additional men's highlights came from junior Kyle Alpaugh in the 5,000-meter race and freshman Peter Gallo in the 60-meter high hurdles. Alpaugh claimed a ninth-place finish and an ECAC-worthy time of 15:26.74.
Gallo achieved a personal-best time of 9.01.
"It was good to get a solid time in right before the conference meet," Gallo said.
In the field events, senior Brian Donatelli had an ECAC toss in the weight throw. He finished ninth and threw 15.63 meters.
Members of the women's team also achieved many outstanding performances. In the 3,000-meter run, senior Erin Enderly placed 10th, meeting ECAC standards in a time of 10:40.22. Sophomore Kristen Wallace crossed the finish in 17th place, running a 10:54.02 in the same event.
Junior Julie Ullmeyer placed 19th overall in the mile, finishing the race in 5:18.98, just missing out on an ECAC time.
Freshman Alexandra Tomaselli also slightly missed an ECAC-qualifying time in the 400 meters, crossing the finish line in 61.64 seconds.
The College had two runners finish in the 60-meter hurdles. Sophomore Priscilla Senyah completed the race in 9.58 seconds, meeting an ECAC standard, while junior Kristen Gerbehy crossed in 9.71 seconds.
For the field events, sophomore Ashley Krauss was 13th in the weight throw with a toss of 12.50 meters. Freshman Sarah Wehrhan took 16th place in the event with a heave of 12.00 meters.
Krauss also achieved a personal-best performance in the shot put with a throw of 11.28 meters.
The Lions head to the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships Monday at 3 p.m., where both teams have previously swept all 10 titles since the championship began.
"The team is well prepared," head coach Eric Mobley said. "Anything can happen at these meets but the team is more than ready to tackle these obstacles."
(02/13/08 5:00pm)
The Lions racked up more Eastern College Athletic Conference- (ECAC) qualifying times this past weekend at Boston University's Valentine's Day Invitational.
"This meet gave the team a chance to travel," head coach Eric Mobley said. "It was a great opportunity to face some great schools that we don't normally see."
On the men's side, the College is currently ranked No. 14 in the U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association Division III Coaches Power Rankings poll.The team excelled in numerous events on Friday.
In the 400-meter race, junior Rob McGowan paved the way for the Lions. McGowan placed 22nd overall, but ran a competitive time of 49.26 seconds.
Pacing closely behind were freshmen Kyle Gilroy (51st, 50.53 seconds) and Jule Brooks (62nd, 50.70 seconds). All three runners qualified for the ECAC Championships in the 400 meters.
An ECAC time was additionally earned in the 4x400-meter relay. Brooks, Gilroy, McGowan and senior Steve Murray came together with a time of 3:21.21.
In the 800-meter, junior Pasquale DiGioacchino had an impressive ECAC-qualifying time of 1:54.85 for 28th place.
Senior Josh Krowicki also competed in the 800, finishing 68th in a time of 1:57.90.
The final two ECAC standards came from sophomore DeShard Stevens and junior Chris Guerriero.
Making a huge impact on the sprinting team, Stevens placed 11th in the 500-meter race, crossing the finish line in 1:05.32.
Guerriero competed in the 5,000-meter and came in 37th with a time of 14:55.80.
Guerriero believes the teams' performances this weekend were one of the best showings the team has experienced in a long time.
"Almost everyone ran a personal best or very close and it was just a great meet to boost everyone's confidence and excitement for the season," he said.
The women competed on day two of the Invitational.
The Lions' distance medley relay team was the lone competitor at the meet, but it posted an NCAA provisional time. It is also currently ranked No. 1 in the country for this event.
The relay team was comprised of junior Stephanie Herrick, freshman Rochelle Prevard, freshman Meryl Wimberly and junior Martine McGrath. The Lions posted a time of 11:54.64 and captured fourth place.
Week after week the Lions are exceeding previous times and running personal bests.
"This meet showed us that we can compete with the best people out there," McGrath said.
The College is scheduled to compete next at 168th St. Armory, New York City, in the Lafayette College/Rider University Invitational this Friday.
According to McGowan, the team feels well prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.
"Coach Mobley has really been doing a great job preparing us for the season," he said.
He continued, "The base endurance we've been getting from his workouts combined with varied days of speed workouts have really helped to highlight everyone's potential."
(02/06/08 5:00pm)
The Lions had another strong outing Saturday as they competed at the McElligott Invitational hosted by Haverford College.
The College claimed the top two spots in the men's 55-meter hurdles. Senior Andy Lim ran a winning time of 8.25 seconds, while freshman Pete Gallo finished second in 8.52 seconds.
"We had a strong showing as a team with good all-around performances on both the men's and women's sides," Gallo said. "I was just excited to be on the track and able to contribute to the team."
In the 200-meter dash, junior Rob McGowan ran an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying time of 23.09 seconds to place second. Junior Pasquale DiGioacchino captured third in the 800 meters (1:58.53). Also in the 800 meters, freshman Dennie Waite was fifth in 1:59.52.
In the 3,000-meter run, three Lions boasted ECAC-worthy times. Senior Brian Kopnicki was second in 8:37.09, while junior Chris Guerriero followed Kopnicki's lead to take third in 8:37.74. Freshman Tom Bocchino completed the trio, running 8:57.20 and placing 16th.
Freshman Oluwaseye Akele jumped 6.30 meters in the long jump to place second. Senior Galen Johnson placed sixth in the mile, with an ECAC time of 4:22.74. In addition, sophomore Martin Brown threw a personal best of 12.29 meters in the shot put, taking eighth place.
For the women's team, junior Martine McGrath took home the victory in the mile with an ECAC mark of 5:08.11.
In the 400 meters freshman Meryl Wimberly won the race with a time of 1:00.57, while junior Stephanie Herrick was second, clocking in with a time of 1:00.90. Wimberly also placed fourth in the 200 meters with a time of 27.55 seconds.
The final first place victory came from junior Julie Ullmeyer in the 3,000 meters (10:53.62). Sophomore Priscilla Senyah had a strong day, sprinting to second place in the 55-meter dash (7.76 seconds) and the 55-meter hurdles (8.97 seconds).
Junior Kristen Gerbehy placed in all three of her jumping events. In the long jump she had a distance of 4.74 meters, which gave her second place. Gerbehy was third in both the high jump (1.45 meters) and triple jump (9.05 meters).
Additionally, sophomore Danielle Kedzierski threw 9.05 meters in the shot put to place third.
The College also sent a number of throwers to compete at the Thomson Invitational, hosted by the University of Delaware.
Once again, senior Brian Donatelli led the men in the weight throw and the shot put. Donatelli met an ECAC standard in the weight throw, throwing a distance of 16.46 meters for first place, while he tossed the shot put 13.17 meters for second place.
Also, freshman Alex Necovski threw 13.14 meters in the shot put for third place.
In the pole vault, freshman Tom Blashford cleared a height of 4.05 meters.
For the women, freshman Sarah Wehrhan had a throw of 12.65 meters in the weight throw for third place as well as a distance of 11.00 meters in the shot put for second place.
Also placing in the weight throw were sophomore Ashley Krauss, finishing with a distance of 12.06 meters for sixth place, and freshmen Cristina D'Amato tossing 11.63 for eighth place.
"One of the main things that I enjoy about the team," Bocchino said, "is that everyone is always cheering for each other. Whether it's a sprinter cheering for a distance runner, or a distance runner cheering for a thrower, I believe we come together well as a team to unite and motivate one another."
The team will continue its efforts this Friday and Saturday at Boston University for the St. Valentine's Day Invitational.
(01/30/08 5:00pm)
The Lions continued to improve upon their strong season this past Saturday at the Princeton University Relays.
In the early onsets of the indoor track and field season, the team has been posting plenty of ECAC-qualifying marks. They continued this trend at Saturday's meet, as well as adding three NCAA provisional marks.
The performances on the women's end this past weekend were especially strong. Junior Stephanie Herrick captured two NCAA provisional times in both the mile and the 800-meter. Herrick took first place in the mile with a time of 5:00.91. In the 800-meter, she crossed the line in fifth place with a finishing time of 2:16.83.
The other NCAA provisional mark came from junior Kristen Tricocci. She was second in the long jump with a distance of 5.48 meters.
Tricocci also placed seventh in the 200-meter dash (26.85).
Junior Martine McGrath met an ECAC standard in the 3,000-meter. She placed first and achieved a personal record in a winning time of 10:07.42.
Freshman Meryl Wimberley also met an ECAC-qualifying time in the 800-meter. Wimberley placed 10th (2:22.49).
"There is always room for improvement, but we had a lot of good performances," McGrath said. "These meets are always good indicators of things people are going to do throughout the season."
In the throwing events, freshman Sarah Wehrhan took fourth in the shot put with an ECAC distance of 11.79 meters. Freshman Cristina D'Amato placed seventh in the event with a throw of 10.71 meters.
Sophomore Ashley Krauss met an ECAC-qualifying mark in the weight throw, placing sixth with a throw of 12.30 meters.
The men's performances were equally as impressive. Junior Rob McGowan had an ECAC-qualifying time in the 400-meter. He won the race in 50.57 seconds.
Additionally, McGowan was part of the third place 4x400-meter relay team. The team ran an ECAC-worthy time of 3:25.11. Joining McGowan in the effort were sophomore DeShard Stevens and seniors Pat Flinn and Steve Murray.
In the 3,000-meter run, junior Kyle Alpaugh took home the gold with a time of 9:07.12. Other ECAC standards were met in the long jump by senior Andy Lim and freshman Matt Rosana.
Lim finished second, sailing 6.62 meters, while Rosana was right behind him with a leap of 6.61 meters (third place).
"It's nice to be able to contribute to the team," Rosana said. "I really enjoy the level of competition."
Senior Brian Kopnicki finished fourth in the mile (4:18.83), while junior Chris Guerriero was fifth (4:19.34). Both met ECAC standards.
Two additional ECAC marks were met in the 1,000-meter. Freshman Dennis Waite took sixth in 2:32.04 while senior Galen Johnson finished the race in 2:35.40 to take the 10th-place spot.
In the throwing events, senior Brian Donatelli captured fifth in the weight throw, throwing a distance of 16.29 meters and meeting an ECAC standard.
Donatelli also placed eighth in the shot put with a throw of 14.84.
"The team is hungry to push forward in order get to the next level," head coach Eric Mobley said. "Everyone's on the same page. We are dedicated to becoming stronger and better each week."
This Saturday, the College will head to Haverford College to compete at the McElligot Invitational. The competition is slated for an 11 a.m. start.
(01/23/08 5:00pm)
Several track and field athletes achieved qualifying marks for postseason contests at the Gotham Cup in New York on Friday.
The men's 4x800 relay team captured an 11th-place finish (8:10.35), posting an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) qualifying mark. Team members included senior Josh Krowicki, freshman Kyle Roos and juniors Rob McGowan and Chris Guerriero. Krowicki and McGowan also met ECAC times in their respective events.
Senior Galen Johnson placed 11th in the unseeded mile (4:24.40). In the seeded 3,000 meters, both Guerriero and senior Brian Kopnicki achieved ECAC-worthy times.
"We have a lot of work we have to do still," Guerriero said, "but this team's attitude is a great motivator. . Hopefully it will help us achieve big things."
In the 4x400 relay, the College posted an ECAC mark (3:25.12). Senior Steve Murray, junior Woodrow Prevard and freshmen Kyle Gilroy and Jule Brooks teamed up for the accomplishment. Gilroy also earned an individual ECAC mark in the 60-meter hurdles.
In the unseeded 5,000-meter race, junior Kyle Alpaugh took fourth place (15:50.25).
Senior Brian Donatelli took second in the shot put (15.30 meters), earning top honors in the event, and finished fifth in the weight throw (16.58 meters).
The women's team also made an impact at the meet. The 4x400 relay team (sophomore Meghan Miller, junior Kristen Tricocci and freshmen Rochelle Prevard and Meryl Wimberly) met ECAC standards (4:06.79).
Tricocci was the top Division III finisher in the long jump (4.98 meters). Wimberly and Prevard met ECAC standards in the 500 meters, racing times of 1:19.69 (16th) and 1:21.20 (21st), respectively.
Junior distance runner Martine McGrath finished second in the 5,000-meter run, achieving an NCAA provisional time (17:33.54). Junior Nicole Ullmeyer finished 14th (19:50.32).
In the 1,000 meters, junior Stephanie Herrick captured sixth place (2:56:54) and a new College record. Herrick also participated in the fourth-place winning distance medley relay team that ran a combined time of 12:47.68 to meet ECAC standards.
Freshman Cristina D'Amato met ECAC standards in the weight throw with a heave of 13.24 meters.
The Lions opened their season at the New Year Invitational hosted by Princeton University on Dec. 8.
Junior Pasquale DiGiacchino met ECAC standards in the 500-meter race (1:07.36). In the 300-meter dash, McGowan ranked sixth (36.23). Donatelli placed in both the weight throw (49'5-1/3") and the shot put (45'2-1/4"). Freshman Matt Rosana took eighth place in the long jump (6.47 meters) while freshman Dennis Waite placed eighth in the 3,000 meters (9:06.25). Gilroy finished ninth in the 60-meter hurdles (8.68 seconds).
For the women's team, sophomore Jianna Spadaccini finished 13th in the 500-meter race (1:20.49), while Wimberly took 16th (1:21.5) and Prevard followed in 17th (1:21.84). All met ECAC standards.
Tricocci was the top finisher in the long jump, sailing to a third-place finish (5.30 meters) and placing 11th in the 300 meters (43.74). McGrath ran to a fourth-place finish in the 3,000 meters (12:25.44).
"We've only had a few team practices so far this year, so we are still getting back into the groove of things," Guerriero said. "However, we look similar to the way we did last year and we had a really good season."
The Lions will head to the Princeton University Relays on Saturday.
(11/28/07 5:00pm)
On Saturday, Nov. 17, the Lions traveled to Northfield, Minn., to compete in the 2007 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships at St. Olaf College.
Winning the men's title was New York University (128 points) while the College placed 28th with 577 points. Amherst College (120 points) took home the women's title. For the second straight year, the Lions' women placed 22nd with a total of 564 points.
In the men's 8,000-meter championship race, junior Chris Guerriero was the Lions' lead runner. Guerriero placed 23rd in a time of 25:08 and earned All-America honors for the second time in his career.
Senior captain Galen Johnson concluded his cross country career taking home 105th place in a time of 26:03. Behind Johnson was sophomore Mike Fonder who ran a 26:18 to capture 142nd place.
In his first NCAA championship, freshman T.J. Bocchino finished 153rd in 26:22. Right behind him in 154th place was senior Steve Kinney (26:22). Adding a 194th place finish was senior Anthony Arnold (26:58) while sophomore Brandon Rodkewitz ran a 27:29 to take 209th and complete the Lions' team effort.
"I'm proud of everyone for working hard this year and supporting each other," Johnson said. "I feel like this year can still be a step in the right direction for the future."
The Lions' women finished within 50 seconds of each other.
The 6,000-meter women's race was led for the College by junior Martine McGrath. McGrath ran a 23:01 to place 70th while junior Stephanie Herrick was next in 90th place with a time of 23:10.
"There is nothing that really prepares you for this race because it is unlike any race we run during the regular season," McGrath said. "The energy is so high and everyone out there is gunning for the same goals, so it is really competitive."
Junior Megan O'Leary picked up 110th place for the Lions in a time of 23:18.
In 135th place was junior Sara Best (23:30). Senior co-captain Christine Nystrom ran a 23:42 in her final cross country race to finish in 159th place.
"It was a great weekend overall in terms of the team atmosphere," Nystrom said. "It was really just such a gift to get to spend this extra year with these girls on this team."
Concluding her first cross country season, junior Angela Tecco added a 162nd place score in 23:46. The Lions' final place-finisher was junior Nicole Ullmeyer in 170th place with a time of 23:50.
"I feel that we had a very good season," McGrath said. "We really came together as a team, and that is one of the most important things."
"I'm sad that the season is over because we had so much fun," she added, "but I am proud that we were able to achieve all that we did."
Head coach Phil Jennings shared his final comments on the season.
"As a team, we have very high expectations and we hoped to finish a little higher in the rankings," he said. "We experienced a few injuries to some key people this season, and these are things (we) can't change. However, I'm happy to see the team come together despite these setbacks, and I'm very proud of all their hard work."
(11/14/07 5:00pm)
The NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championship were held this past Saturday at Van Cortlandt Park, N.Y.
Automatic bids to the NCAA Division III Championship were offered to the top two teams of each section. The Lions' men finished in third place in one of the most competitive regions in the country with 120 points. The women took fourth with a score of 146 points. While neither team for the College won automatic bids to Nationals, both teams were granted at-Large bids.
The top two qualifying teams for the men were New York University and SUNY-Cortland.
For the women, the automatic qualifiers were SUNY-Geneseo (41 points) and Plattsburgh State (41 points). The tie score was decided upon by the seventh place finisher for each team, which gave SUNY-Geneseo the advantage.
Head coach Phil Jennings was proud of the strong performances his teams gave this past weekend.
"We improved more than any other team over these past few months," he said.
The College's top finisher for the men in the 8,000-meter race was junior Chris Guerriero. Guerriero captured a sixth-place finish for the Lions in a time of 24:42.
Pleased with the outcome of the meet and the performance of his teammates, Guerriero said, "We had an advantage being from New Jersey. We were able to run the course at a previous meet and also go up there to practice on weekends. It definitely helps to know every turn and what to expect."
Freshman TJ Bocchino took home 22nd place in 25:24. Senior captain Galen Johnson ran a personal best of 25:29 to pick up 25th place while senior teammate Steve Kinney completed the race in 25:34 for 29th place. Adding a 38th-place finish was senior Anthony Arnold, running a 25:43 while sophomore Mike Fonder placed 40th in 25:48.
Completing the men's scorers was sophomore Brandon Rodkewitz in 45th place in 25:59.
As for the women, junior Martine McGrath was the Lions' lead runner, ending the 6,000-meter race in a time of 22:16 and capturing eighth place.
"The atmosphere of this meet just pumps everyone up," McGrath said. "We really worked together, stepped up and did what had to be done. We ran great, but I think we can run even harder at Nationals."
Next was junior Megan O'Leary picking up 30th place in 22:59, while junior Nicole Ullmeyer was just behind her, claiming 31st place in 23:02. Junior Angela Tecco added a 37th-place finish, running a time of 23:16. Next for the College was junior Stephanie Herrick, taking 40th in a time of 23:24.
The final scorers for the women were senior co-captain Christine Nystrom (43rd in 23:25) and junior Sara Best (44th in 23:29).
The Lions will head to the NCAA Division III Championship at St. Olaf College this Saturday.
"We have the experience and expectations to do well at Nationals," Jennings said. "When we go, we are going to do what needs to be done and compete."
(11/07/07 5:00pm)
The Lions competed in the 2007 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Cross Country Championships this past Saturday. The competition was hosted by Williams College at Mt. Greylock Regional High School in Maryland.
Head coach Phil Jennings decided to take the eighth through 14th place runners to the ECACs in order to make sure the top seven runners were well-rested and prepared for the next week's regional meet.
"The team ran especially well," Jennings said. "Their progression shows the depth of the team and future success of the program."
The women placed fourth out of 31 teams with 155 points. The College followed Williams (47), Amherst College (63) and Middlebury College (104).
The first scorer for the Lions was senior Erin Enderly, who took 12th place in a time of 23:34.7. Following her lead was freshman Kristen Lewis, placing 17th in 23:43.4. Senior Julie Ullmeyer was next with a time of 24:13.6 and a 30th place finish.
Taking 35th place in 24:20.6 was sophomore Michelle Wallace and placing 61st in 25:10.9 was sophomore Michelle Barbarasch.
Completing the team's race were sophomore Kelly Cahill, 95th in 26:06.3, and sophomore Lauren Keller, who captured 127th in 26:46.2.
The men's team picked up a fifth place finish out of 37 teams overall, ending with a total score of 168 points. Finishing ahead of the College was Williams College (45), Keene State College (96), Oneonta State (126) and St. Vincent College (139).
Senior Kyle Alpaugh led the men in the 8,000-meter race to cross the finish line in 26:48.8, placing eighth overall. Junior Josh Krowicki took 18th place in a time of 27:10.5 while sophomore Paul Bernardo picked up 40th place in 27:44.2. Right behind Bernardo in 41st place was sophomore Brain Toms, running a time of 27:45.2.
Additionally for the men, sophomore Rich Nelson captured 61st place with a time of 28:08.2 and freshman Kyle Roos brought home 83rd place in 28:37.8.
Adding a 95th place finish, the final scorer for the men was freshman Dennie Waite who finished with a time of 28:58.9.
"The team performed well," Alpaugh said. "Many individuals who normally don't score for the team's total score contributed in big ways."
For Alpaugh, the ECAC meet may be his last collegiate meet for the College.
"My experience on the (College's) men's cross country team was definitely positive," he said. "Since I have been here, we have qualified and competed at Nationals to a high degree, and I know the success of the team will continue, and most likely increase, in the future."
The Lions have experienced great success so far this season, but it is now time for them to tackle their greatest challenge thus far. On Saturday, the Lions will head to Van Cortland Park, N.Y., to compete in the Atlantic Regional Championships where they hope to win the chance to race at Nationals.
(10/17/07 4:00pm)
On Saturday, the cross country teams headed in different directions as the varsity team traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's Brooks Cross Country Invitational while the other half of the team competed in Allentown, Pa., at the DeSales University Invitational.
The women's team placed fourth overall out of 14 teams at the Brooks Invitational. Holding the top three places in the meet were Washington University (53), Haverford College (118) and Wisconsin-Oshkosh (129). The College is currently ranked 24th and finished the 6K race with 132 points.
Junior Martine McGrath set the pace for the Lions women as she finished in 22:05, placing 10th. Next were junior Megan O'Leary in 28th place with a time of 22:50 and junior Angela Tecco in 29th place with a finishing time of 22:59.
While senior co-captain Christine Nystrom ran a 23:07 to place 32nd, juniors Stephanie Herrick and Nicole Ullmeyer were right behind finishing 33rd (23:13) and 34th (23:15), respectively.
"Every single one of our seven girls who raced in Wisconsin got a personal record in the race," Nystrom said. "We attribute a lot of that to our executing things well by working together mid-race when it sometimes gets tougher to push on your own."
Rounding out the Lions for the women was freshman Kristen Lewis with a time of 23:32 and a 46th place showing.
"Our placing at this meet will help us in the national rankings, which are very important during the championship season," McGrath said. "More importantly, it helped us show ourselves that we are capable of competing with top teams."
The men's team had a rewarding day on the 8K course. The 20th ranked Lions placed ninth out of 22 teams, falling to New York University (68), Haverford College (71) and North Central College (90).
Junior Chris Guerriero took home seventh in 24:34 while senior Steve Kinney came in 39th with a time of 25:22.
"(Kinney) really showed a lot of heart and is still improving," Guerriero said. "He has put in huge amounts of work and is really seeing it help in these meets."
Freshman TJ Bocchino finished 64th in 25:45 while senior co-captain Galen Johnson placed 70th, crossing the finish line in 25:50. Junior Josh Krowicki finished in 87th (26:11), senior Anthony Arnold placed 89th (26:12) and sophomore Brandon Rodkewitz added a 129th-place finish (28:14).
"This was a new meet for the whole team," McGrath said, "so traveling to Wisconsin was exciting for everyone. It was a good team-bonding experience, and we all had a lot of fun. Also, it was good for us to see competition in a different part of the country that we had never seen."
The Lions' performance in Pennsylvania should not be overlooked. The men won the men's title at the DeSales Invitational with a team score of 71 points, just outrunning Salisbury University (72).
Leading the race for the Lions was senior Kyle Alpaugh. His time of 26:48 gave him a third-place finish, while sophomore teammate Mike Fonder crossed the finish line right after him in 26:49, placing fourth.
The women took fifth at DeSales out of a field of 23 teams. Junior Sara Best led the women with a time of 24:53 to capture 11th place.
The Lions will spend the next two weeks in preparation for the National Championship season, which is scheduled to begin on Saturday, Oct. 27.
"The next two weeks are good because we can get in a lot of harder types of workouts before the season starts to enter the championship portion," Guerriero said. "Now it's time to get really serious and start focusing on what we have trained all year for. That's really what this team's all about."
(10/03/07 4:00pm)
The cross country team traveled to Bethlehem, Pa. last Friday to compete in the Paul Short Invitational.
One of the largest cross country meets in the country, the event boasted a talented field of runners and posed one of the first big challenges of the season for the Lions. Teams from Division I, II and III schools all competed.
"Both (the men and women's) teams held up pretty well," head coach Phil Jennings said. "This was probably one of the most competitive meets we'll see, and both teams beat some very tough teams that have beaten us in the past."
The men's team finished the 8K race placing 18th with a score of 563. The winner of the meet was Villanova University with a score of 50.
Leading the men's team for the third week in a row, junior Chris Guerriero crossed the finish line in a time of 25:09 to take 46th place. Guerriero ran the second-fastest time on this course in the College's history.
"He's becoming a true force," senior co-captain Galen Johnson said about teammate Guerriero. Johnson placed 91st in 25:48, while sophomore Brandon Rodkewitz added a 132nd place finish in 26:08.
The other scorers for the men's team were senior Steve Kinney (144th in 26:12), freshman TJ Bocchino (150th in 26:15) and seniors Anthony Arnold (181st in 26:32) and Kyle Alpaugh (212nd in 26:56).
On the women's side, the Lions ran a 6K race against 47 schools, 12 of which are nationally ranked. The College finished in 33rd place with a total score of 854. The winner of the meet was Princeton University with 45 points.
"It is hard to compare, but this meet may have improved our national rankings," Jennings said.
Junior Martine McGrath led the team once again, finishing 127th in a time of 22:51. The Lions' next place finisher was senior Angela Tecco who ranked 154th in 23:10.
"We keep pushing each other and making some big improvements," Tecco said about Friday's meet.
Additionally, junior Megan O'Leary added a 181st place finish in a time of 23:27, while fellow junior Stephanie Herrick followed in 191st with a time of 23:36. Rounding out the women's scorers were junior Nicole Ullmeyer (201st in 23:43), senior co-captain Christine Nystrom (230th in 24:05) and senior Erin Enderly (273rd in 24:54).
"We're going to become more unified in this next week or two as we travel out and represent New Jersey in a national help meet," Tecco said.
The Lions will now prepare to compete at the Oshkosh Invitational in Wisconsin where competition will be even more intense.
"This is the perfect stage to showcase what we've got," Johnson said.
With positive team morale and strong focus in practice, the cross country teams can expect big things in the upcoming weeks.