Cross country begins this weekend, but top runners still waiting for chance
With the 2009 Syracuse men’s and women’s cross country season slated to kick off Saturday at the Harry Lang Invitational in Hamilton, N.Y., the nerves and excitement that surround the start of a new season must be setting in.
Well, not quite.
‘To be honest, in this first meet, we will not run anyone in our top 12,’ SU head coach Chris Fox said. ‘This is a very low key meet, nobody runs their top folks now. Our sport doesn’t truly get underway until the first week of October.’
Though many sports count on that first game or meet to set the tone for the rest of the season, the cross country squad views it as more of a preseason. Despite the fact the Harry Lang Invitational this Saturday and the Colgate Invitational on Sept. 19 count according to the NCAA is concerned, Fox does not exactly view the meets as make or break.
‘This week, no one will run and next week we will run everyone for fun,’ Fox said. ‘The Oct. 3 (meet in Madison, Wisc.,) meet is the important one. The first two really are not.’
The laid back attitude, however, does not stop Fox or the team from looking ahead and setting the bar high for the rest of the season. Though the goals for the first two meets may not be too lofty, the season ahead is full of promise and high expectations.
On the women’s side, the squad looks to build off an impressive 2008 campaign in which it competed in the Division I Cross Country Championship for the first time in program history, as the No. 25 ranked team in the nation. The core of the team is back, except for 2008 All-Big East and All-Northeast Regional member Nana Sang-Bender. After a decorated four-year career, Sang-Bender will be missed, but several runners return with national competition experience.
‘While there is no standout individual yet for the women, I expect them to be great,’ Fox said. ‘Everyone who went to nationals last year will help us immensely, as well as a couple freshmen.’
Senior Maegan Krifchin, juniors Catherine Desarle and Rebekah MacKay and sophomores Lauren Penney, Lauryn MacFawn and Heather Stephens all return after competing in nationals last season, poised to lead the talented squad.
As for the men, Brad Miller, Dan Busby, Jay Koloseus and graduate student Jeff Scull comprise a strong senior-laden front four that will lead a squad that finished fifth out of 14 teams in the Big East Championship last season.
Highly touted recruit, Joseph Bubniak of Danbury, Conn., has only been on campus for a few weeks, but already has high hopes.
‘The team is going to be great this year, Bubniak said. ‘We can definitely be a top ten program.’
Junior distance runner Brady Becker echoed his teammates’ sentiments.
‘I expect to see some really great things happen,’ Becker said. ‘We didn’t lose too many guys from last year, so I think things will be great.’
So, though the season officially jump-starts Saturday, the first true test falls on Oct. 3, when the Orange treks to the Badger State to compete in the Wisconsin Inter-Regional. SU’s top runners will certainly be unveiled during this meet.
‘October 3 is extremely important,’ Fox said. ‘This third meet is when our sport really starts.’