2013 XC Season Recap/ Championship Preview

I know it has been a while since the last Blog. But in attempt to have more to write about, this blog will also now take on the topics of reviewing and previewing team competitions and events.

Patience has been the name of the game for the team this season. We have taken on a new mentality and tried to instill a new culture among the 50 student-athletes on the team, and with it comes a strong sense of team through the dedication to the process.

This year the men's team has had an excellent year. Throughout the season the men have finished 1st or 2nd in every meet but one and the have started their championship campaign with two 2nd place finishes. Due to this, they have been rewarded with a national ranking in the final poll of the season. Now, it is time to prove that we belong on that starting line on November 23rd in Hanover Indiana.

All season long we have been having a gap from 1-5 of 45-60 seconds. It is no coincidence that so far our best race of the season at Liberty League's this past weekend we had a gap of 35 seconds 1-7 and 28 seconds 1-5. We were helped out by the return of strong running from captains Sean Quinn, Aldous Strother and Paul Malek. Sean had a huge race for us knocking 30 seconds off his previous season's best time. We have been led by the consistent front runners of Jake Andrews and Bobby Parker all season long over the 8k distance, and they were rewarded with their 1st ever sub 26 min clocking. Inside our top 8 this year we have some youth too who have been getting better as the season progresses- Ben Fazio and Brian Crowley have stepped right into integral roles on the team and Steve "The Hammerman" Hammar has returned from injury his freshman year to run 26:30 in his first collegiate cross country campaign.

These 8 men will lead the now 34th ranked Engineers into regionals on 11/16. They are running at their best at the right time and are poised to have a great regional race!

This year's women's team, much like last year's has been steadily improving week after week and now they find themselves in a battle for a NCAA bid. All year leading the way for the Engineers has been the only senior on the team and one of the captains Gracie Tilton. She has piled up more accolades this season then most do in all 4 years of college, but perhaps most impressively so far, her win this past weekend at Liberty League's. After being beat by 5 seconds at states by Saint Lawrence's Amy Cymerman, she turned the tables and won by 12 seconds at Liberty League's. Her time of 21:23 was a Liberty League Meet Record, a School record and a course record. Her win helped the team finish 2nd ahead of the 24th ranked team in the county Vassar College. Behind her, earning All-Liberty League for the first time was Christine Artim who boasts the BIGGEST improvement of anyone on the team this year. She has gone from being a 25 min 6k runner to running sub 23 min twice now. She has been helped and sometimes chased every step of the way by her classmate/roommate and friend Hailey Beyer who has been putting together her best season of her career. Following them has been our returning sophomores who helped the team finish 6th in the region last year Alexa Sakorafos, Emily Stickles and Shannon Trant. All three girls are running at their best now at the end of the season and have proven how tough they are by battling through summer/early season gut check points. Our team depth is a highlight as we have numerous freshman and sophomores right behind our top 6. Andrea Duncan will be rounding out our scoring 7 at regionals after a consistent freshman season, finishing inside the top 7 in every race. 

These ladies will be toeing the starting line with 40+ other teams on 11/16 hoping to better last years result of 6th place (3 points out of 5th). They are peaking at the right time and hungry for more!