PAC Preparing for 2012 Cross Country Championships

PAC Preparing for 2012 Cross Country Championships

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2012 PAC Cross Country Championships webpage

GREENVILLE, Pa. – The Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) will host its Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships this Saturday, October 27 on the Bethany College campus, located in Bethany, W. Va. The eight-kilometer men’s championship is scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m. with the women’s six-kilometer championship slated to get started at 12 p.m. Admission is free to the general public.

Saint Vincent College, winners of the previous two team titles, heads into the 55th annual men’s championship with a talented stable of runners that have proven experience competing for the conference title.

While the Bearcats will be without 2012 PAC Men’s Cross Country MVP Kevin Wanichko, 10th year head coach and two-time PAC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year Andy Herr has four runners back that earned all-conference accolades at last year’s championship event. Headlining the Saint Vincent returners is junior Chansler Poole, who ran to a fourth-place finish (27:23.8), securing all-PAC first team honors. Junior Andrew Razanauskas finished fifth (27:24.2) while senior Cam Stumme placed 13th (27:58.4), and both secured all-PAC second team honors for their efforts. Sophomore Eric Porter ran to a 21st place finish (28:53.7) a year ago and picked up an all-conference honorable mention selection.

Last year’s second-place finish for Thiel College certainly did not come as a surprise to Tomcat third-year head coach Steve Carr, but it did turn heads at the championship event. Thiel will be competing without last season’s third-place finisher, Richard Peterson, but sophomore Steve Morgan is expected to pick up where Peterson left off. Morgan registered an eighth-place finish (27:35.6) last season and will have freshmen Ryan Thomas and Connor Phelps pushing him for an improved finish in 2012.

Grove City College, who had a 19-year run as PAC champions prior to Saint Vincent’s last two team championships, will be looking to improving on last season’s third-place finish. Junior Alec Schultz finished sixth at last year’s conference championships with a time of 27:30.5. Senior Arleigh McRae posted a 15th place finish (28:29.5) while senior Wesley Coopersmith (16th, 28:34.4), junior Paulson Domasky (19th, 28:41.1) and senior Tim Coyle (20th, 28:49.0) return after securing top-20 finishes a year ago.

Geneva College, last year’s fourth-place finisher, will be paced by senior Nick Edinger. Edinger ran to a ninth-place finish (27:50.0) at the 2011 conference championships. Senior Owen Struck posted a 39th place finish in 2011 (29:38.7) and will look to improve on that time to move the Golden Tornadoes up the team standing.

Senior Scott Ryan returns for Washington & Jefferson College looking to become the Presidents’ first men’s MVP since Matt Rudzki in 2005. Ryan raced to a second-place finish (26:46.0) a season ago after also finishing second in 2010. Senior Benjamin Kopchick finished 30th (29:13.3) for the Presidents last season.

Westminster College heads into the conference championships with junior Aaron Sutton leading the way for the Titans. Sutton posted an 11th place finish (27:53.0) at last year’s event.

Waynesburg University’s top 2011 finisher was sophomore Brandon Dugan, who crossed 33rd overall with a time of 29:24.1. Sophomore John Allison finished 44th (29:53.8) for the Yellow Jackets in 2011, but a terrific fall campaign should help in his climb towards to the top of PAC finishers.

Host Bethany will look to sophomore Cody McDonald and freshman Ryan Donnelly to make an impact in this year’s championship, while Thomas More College senior Matt Wurtzler (27:52.8) will work towards improving on last season’s 10th place finish.

On the women’s side, Grove City is aiming to secure its 24th consecutive conference crown. The Wolverines and ninth-year head coach Sean Severson, the 2011 PAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, enter the 29th annual women’s championship eighth in the Great Lakes region in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III Regional Cross Country Rankings.

Senior Ella Smith is the featured returning runner for the Wolverines after her fourth-place finish (24:12.0) in 2011. Grove City has four of its five scorers back from last season’s championship squad.

Senior Mary Kate Breese was fifth (24:14.5) at the conference championships a year ago, while junior Laurel Skorup (8th, 24:45.8) and senior Anna Dunsworth (14th, 25:24.5) return after strong performances at the 2011 championships. Senior Hillary Wilson (16th, 25:30.7) and junior Cayla Clawson (17th, 25:33.2) also return as top 20 finishers for the Wolverines.

Waynesburg University and third-year head coach Chris Hardie posted a second-place team finish a season ago. Junior Bre Paul was the Yellow Jackets’ top finisher in 2011, crossing the line ninth with a time of 24:46.4. Sophomore Joy Talbott finished 15th (25:27.3) while senior Megan Fortna (25:06.5) and sophomore Joy Talbott (25:27.3) finished the event 11th and 15th, respectively.

Westminster College heads into this weekend’s championship led by sophomore Jenny Jones. Jones was 10th (24:48.7) at last year’s conference event. Senior Alyssa Cauley finished 26th (26:12.6) a year ago.

Geneva College freshman Sarah-Noel Meek is coming off of a record-breaking fall for the Golden Tornadoes and is expected to challenge for conference MVP honors. Seniors Emily Hoobler (20th, 25:45.2 and Shannon Rech (21st, 25:47.9) and junior Alayna Merkle (24th, 26:09.4) return after strong performances at last season’s championship.

Just as the Saint Vincent College men’s team will be running without last season’s MVP, the same goes for the Bearcat women’s program. Saint Vincent will be without two-time conference MVP Ivette Mejia, but junior Genie Fratto returns after posting a 13th place finish (25:23.2) at the 2011 conference championships.

Host Bethany will lean on freshman Brooke Bosworth and sophomore Jessica Olson (18th, 25:36.3) to lead its charge towards the top of the team standings.

Washington & Jefferson College sophomore Kristen Galigan returns as the top finisher from last season’s conference championship. Galligan ran to a second-place finish (23:43.3) in 2011 and has put together a very successful fall campaign as she looks to secure the first women’s MVP honor for the Presidents.

Freshman Keri Reeves will aim to help improve on the Presidents’ seventh-place finish in 2011.

Junior Valerie White leads the Thiel College squad into the conference championships after finishing 22nd (25:49.2) a year ago. Freshman Meri Steinmetz will look to play a part in bettering the Tomcats’ eighth-place finish a year ago.

Chatham University enters the championship led by junior Rachel Leftwich. Leftwich was 43rd (27:19.9) at the PAC event in 2011.

Thomas More will be paced by senior Celia Arlinghaus, who was 27th (26:15.3) at last season’s conference championship.