Runners of the Week (5/7)

High School Men

-THOMAS AWAD, Senior, Chaminade: A class-setting pace of 9:16.43 in the 3200m this weekend at St. Anthony's Invitational gets Awad the nod over Section V runner Mike Anvelt. Awad has been a "watch out for this guy" athlete since the beginning of the season, and while he's going to have to keep dropping those times to achieve a state title, he is a runner any college coach would be fortunate to have. He leads Chaminade's combined distance team this year.

High School Women

-MARY CAIN, Sophomore, Bronxville: I know, I know--she was Runner of the Week last week. But you just can't make this stuff up: Cain barely missed the Olympic "B" standard of 4:17.00 in the 1500m, running a 4:17.03. That makes her the second fastest high-school sophomore ever to run the 1500m. Hey, when you break records, you remain our Runner of the Week for an unprecedented second week in a row.

College Men

-LEE BERUBE, Senior, SUNY Geneseo: It was a record-setting weekend for Berube at the 2012 SUNYAC Championships at SUNY Oneonta. Berube broke the SUNYAC meet record with a blistering 14:43.44 in the 5000m, garnering another championship for his impressive resume. For good measure, he added a 10000m performance in 32:08.05, good enough for 3rd. Impressive showing for Berube, helping lead the way at the "SUNY Geneseo Show"--aka the SUNYAC--this weekend.

College Women

-SARAH PAGANO, Sophomore, Syracuse University: Your 2012 10,000m Big East Champion! Sarah far outpaced the field in Tampa this weekend and hopes to take that success into regional finals. A national force to be reckoned with, Sarah leads a powerful Syracuse University distance squad with its eyes set on American dominance.

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.