The Stony Brook men’s and women’s cross country teams are hungry to defend their America East (AE) championship crowns.
Each team appeared at No. 12 in the most recent NCAA Division I Cross Country Northeast Region U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason rankings. The women, who are no stranger to success, aim to collect their seventh-straight title, while the men are vying to make a little noise of their own on the quest to win their second-straight AE championship in program history.
On the women’s side, the Seawolves return three runners who placed top-10, including seniors Olivia Burne (4th) and Lorraine McCarthy (7th), and sophomore Christina Melian (9th). To assist the nine returning runners, Coach Andy Ronan and his team welcome a class of eight freshmen to continue the winning tradition.
After finishing second for the third year in a row, New Hampshire looks forward to continuing their success this season, despite the loss of Keely Maguire, who topped all female runners in last year’s championship. In light of this, the Wildcats will carry a roster of 26 runners, including Anne Twombly (6th), Laura Rose Donegan (10th), Chelsey Serrano (14th), Darcy James (15th), Elise Beattie (18th) and Erin Phillips (20th) all who were top-20 finishers in last year’s AE championships.
Vermont finished third in last season’s championship, and returns senior Yolanda Ngarambe (8th) to help lead the way as the Catamounts vie to climb back up the ladder. With the hopes of their first championship crown since 1989, a squad consisting of four seniors, eight sophomores and six rookies look to clinch the title in 2013.
Despite a fourth-place finish in the 2013 conference meet, Albany will look to senior Brittney Lane, who commanded a second-place finish mere seconds behind New Hampshire’s Maguire, for leadership. With the loss of seven seniors and no new additions, the five veteran runners will have to push their team to the limits.
Binghamton brings just two new faces to the mix to replace the loss of senior Rachel Miura. With the combination of nine returners and a home course advantage, the Bearcats hold their hopes high as they host the 2013 AE championships this fall.
With the loss of just one senior, Maine figures to be a top contender with 21 runners returning this fall, including four seniors. The Black Bears’ top-runner, sophomore Carolyn Stocker, also returns with hopes of breaking the top-10 after finishing 16th in 2012.
Hartford returns its top-runner from last year in senior Megan Barry, who placed 25th in last year’s championship meet. Barry, along with Catherine Carey and Jennifer Flores, will help lead the Hawks to improve upon their seventh-place finish.
The senior duo of Cody Mezebish and Kirsten McGovern are the only veterans returning to the squad this year. With Matt Gittermann at the helm, the tandem looks to battle back from the team’s eighth-place finish last year with a young squad consisting of six rookies.
A newcomer to America East, UMass Lowell recently joined the DI ranks in all of their athletics; however, the River Hawks’ cross country team has been competing against DI teams for over a decade in preparation for their conference championships. Standouts include four of the top seven returners, such as senior Gina Butler, junior Bridget Meehan, and sophomores Kelsey O'Driscoll and Megan Mahoney. The cross country teams will be the first to compete in an AE championship for the River Hawks.
This weekend kicks off with a Pre-Conference meet at Binghamton on Saturday, September 7th, in which several AE teams will compete. The Bearcats are also slated to host the 2013 AE Conference Championship on Saturday, November 2nd.