Big Season for SUNY Geneseo Men, Women XC

SUNY Geneseo has a lot to look forward to on the trails this cross-country season.

In the preseason Division III polls, the Geneseo men ranked #3, while the women ranked #9.

Impressive finishes from last season--sixth place at nationals for the men (their best finish ever) and ninth place for the ladies--spill over into this season, where returning stars try to propel their club even farther as Mike Woods enters his 19th year as head coach.

The Girls

Though graduating a great deal of talent, the women are boasting a fiesty group of young runners.

At Buffalo State on September 4th, the team took second, with freshman Mary Aldridge leading the way (third overall). She was followed by sophomore Erin Dorsett (sixth) and freshman Celeste Hoelzl (tenth).

On Saturday, the team split, with some traveling to SUNY Brockport and others going to the nationally-renowned Spiked Shoe Invitational at Penn State.

Sophomore Priya Patel led the team at the Brockport Invitational to a respectable fourth, considering the size of Geneseo's contingency there.

At Penn State, the girls looked sharp, finishing 7th out of 14 teams--the highest non-Divison I group in the field. Sophomore standout Marissa Liberati led the team with a 5:57/mile pace (25th place). Following her was strong performances by a slew of sophomores: Danae Polsin (49th), Emily Sullivan (53rd), Brigid Heenan (62nd), and Erin Dorsett (72nd). Junior Alyssa Smith and freshman Mary Aldridge rounded out the scoring on an impressive day for Geneseo.

With their Top 5 runners competing in only their second year of cross country, the SUNY Geneseo women's team looks poised to become a national powerhouse and perennial contender.

The Guys

2010 promises to be a red-letter year for the men of Geneseo, paced by last year's SUNYAC champion, junior Lee Berube.

True to form at Penn State last weekend, Berube finished a very impressive 13th overall, clocking 4:59 miles. Eddie Novara--a transfer from Fredonia--was second on the team, finishing just three places behind Berube. Senior Ryan O'Connor enters his final season with the Blue Knights, and followed in 28th. Scoring was rounded out by seniors Lee Gabler (44th) and Mark Streb (46th), junior Chris Mateer (47th) and sophomore transfer Tom Clark (50th).

With elder-runner leadership on the team this year, the men look to make their mark on the national landscape. Their recent performance against top-tier Division I opponents shows they are capable of doing just that.

Both men and women seem likely to repeat as SUNYAC champs, but will face stiff competition for the national title this year. In-state rival St. Lawrence University is ranked ahead of the women and close behind the men in recent NCAA polls. Only time--and fleet feet--will tell if the Blue Knights of Geneseo have what it takes to be Cross Country's 2010 National Champions.