The MU cross country teams competed in their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, NY this past Friday, Nov. 1. In their first MAAC Championship meet, the women’s and men’s teams placed fourth and fifth respectively.
With a total of 133 points, the men clinched a top five finish, just 14 points behind Fairfield, who placed fourth. Rider and Canisius took third and second behind the conference champion Iona, whose squad cleared the finish line with just 15 points. Junior Khari Bowen was once again the first Hawk to finish for the men in 25:51 for the 8,000 meter course. He placed eighth out of a field of 153 runners.
Junior Alex Leight and senior Pat Ryan were the next to finish for the Hawks, coming in back-to-back at 27:03 and 27:08. Senior Anthony Branco and sophomore Domenick D’Agostino both finished in the 27th minute as well, placing 39th and 41st. They along with Bowen, Leight, and Ryan rounded out the men’s top five with a team average of 27:02 for the course.
On the women’s side, the team finished in 4th with 110 points. They were just one point shy of edging out Marist for third place in the meet. Quinnipiac nabbed second place behind Iona, who was the conference champion for the women as well. Freshman Lennon Cooper was towards the front yet again leading the women with a time of 23:19 for the 6,000 meter course. She crossed the line 13th overall in a field of 145 runners.
Senior Amanda Eller was not far behind, finishing 16th overall in 23:27. Next to finish for the women was freshman Kristen Rodgers-Erickson, who clocked in just under 24 minutes. Rounding out the women’s top five were senior Lucia Montefusco and freshman Jenna Cupp, who placed close together in the 24th minute. They, along with Cooper, Eller, and Rodgers-Erickson averaged 23:49 for the course.
For their first year competing in their new conference, the Hawks teams have had a very productive season. Highlights include the men’s victory at the 19th Annual Monmouth Invitational at Holmdel Park in Holmdel, NJ, as well as the women’s victory at the Monmouth XC Kick-Off at Thompson Park in Lincroft, NJ. Both the men and the women also clinched top ten finishes at the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, PA.
One of their most recent highlights for the season came on Friday, Nov. 1 as 11 MU cross country runners were named to the 2013 MAAC All-Academic Team. In order to be eligible for this award, an athlete must have already completed two semesters at their respective University and have a grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale. Representing MU’s cross country team in this feat were six men and five women.
The teams’ results throughout the season show that both the men’s and women’s teams are well prepared for what is ahead.
“We have two championship meets coming up in the next three weeks, and they are both great opportunities for us to show what a strong team we have this year,” head coach Joe Compagni said. “I do think this year’s team is stronger than last year’s, and the NCAA Regionals as well as ECAC/IC4A Championships will be the true test of that.”
The NCAA Division I Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship will be held in Bethlehem, Pa. on Friday, Nov. 15. If the Hawks place well enough at this meet, they will qualify for the national championship on Saturday, Nov. 23.
