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Track Season Preview
12/4/2015 5:34:00 PM | Track and Field
The Orange kick off 2015-16 on Saturday
Coming off a National Championship in cross country and a 2014-15 track season that saw the Orange pick up a school-record eight All-America honors between the indoor and outdoor campaigns, 'Cuse returns to the track on Saturday with much anticipation.
First Team All-Americans Margo Malone and Justyn Knight will return for the Orange, along with Second Team All-Americans Freddie Crittenden, Colin Bennie and Dan Lennon and ACC 60-meter dash champion Shaina Harrison to provide a strong core of returners for 2015-16.
The distance program is as strong as ever for the Orange, with the men's team coming off its first National Championship in cross country since 1951 and the women's team racing to its second-best finish in program history at the NCAA Championships two weeks ago in a 12th-place finish.
Justyn Knight, who earned an ACC Championship and First Team All-America honors in the outdoor 5k last season after breaking program records in the mile, 1500-meters and 5000-meters returns for his sophomore season – and first indoor track season – leads the way for 'Cuse. He's coming off a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Fellow sophomore and returning All-American Colin Bennie is another key piece for the men. Bennie earned Second Team All-America Honors in the 5k last season as well and had a stellar cross country season, culminating in an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Lennon is the Orange's top-returning 10k runner after reaching the podium at the ACC Championships last season and looks to improve in his final season with the Orange, however two All-Americans in the 10k from last season will need to be replaced.
Martin Hehir, who just finished in the top-10 at the NCAA Cross Country Championships concluded his career at the meet as he has no remaining eligibility in track. Hehir, who will go down as the most decorated distance runner in Syracuse history with four All-America honors, and 2015 Honorable Mention All-American Max Straneva will not be back for 'Cuse in 2015-16.
On the women's side, Margo Malone leads the way heading into her senior season. 2015 First Team All-American and ACC Champion in the 10k returns to lead the way for the women, along cross country standouts Sydney Leiher, Cassia Hameline, Rebecca Skodis and Shaylyn Tuite – who rounded out the top-five at cross country nationals.
After Donald Pollitt and Crittenden each qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and podiumed at the ACC Championships, the pair earned All-America honors in the 110-meter hurdles.
Unfortunately for the Orange, only Crittenden will return for 2015-16 campaign, however he enters the season coming off being the top-collegiate performer at the USATF Nationals last summer.
Shaina Harrison and Rebecca Robinson are keys for the 2015-16 Orange sprinters, Harrison missed outdoor nationals by 0.001 seconds, and returns for her senior campaign after competing in the Pan Am Games for the Canadian 4x100-meter team. Robinson owns the school record in the 400-meter dash.
After a successful end to last season, the Syracuse teams will compete in their first indoor event of the year this weekend at the third annual Greg Page Relays hosted by Cornell University. Last year, highlighting the Orange's performance, Regine Hunter won the triple jump event with a distance of 12.53 meters while the relay team Josh Hayman, David Stankiewicz, Robbie Hall and Paul Lovell finished first in the distance medley relay with a time of 10:42.37. Syracuse also brought home eleven top-10 finishes in other events.
Overall, 2014-2015 was a historic season for the Orange. After breaking numerous program records and breaking into the top-20 rankings, both the men and women teams will look to set new records in 2015-16.
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First Team All-Americans Margo Malone and Justyn Knight will return for the Orange, along with Second Team All-Americans Freddie Crittenden, Colin Bennie and Dan Lennon and ACC 60-meter dash champion Shaina Harrison to provide a strong core of returners for 2015-16.
The distance program is as strong as ever for the Orange, with the men's team coming off its first National Championship in cross country since 1951 and the women's team racing to its second-best finish in program history at the NCAA Championships two weeks ago in a 12th-place finish.
Justyn Knight, who earned an ACC Championship and First Team All-America honors in the outdoor 5k last season after breaking program records in the mile, 1500-meters and 5000-meters returns for his sophomore season – and first indoor track season – leads the way for 'Cuse. He's coming off a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.
Fellow sophomore and returning All-American Colin Bennie is another key piece for the men. Bennie earned Second Team All-America Honors in the 5k last season as well and had a stellar cross country season, culminating in an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
Lennon is the Orange's top-returning 10k runner after reaching the podium at the ACC Championships last season and looks to improve in his final season with the Orange, however two All-Americans in the 10k from last season will need to be replaced.
Martin Hehir, who just finished in the top-10 at the NCAA Cross Country Championships concluded his career at the meet as he has no remaining eligibility in track. Hehir, who will go down as the most decorated distance runner in Syracuse history with four All-America honors, and 2015 Honorable Mention All-American Max Straneva will not be back for 'Cuse in 2015-16.
On the women's side, Margo Malone leads the way heading into her senior season. 2015 First Team All-American and ACC Champion in the 10k returns to lead the way for the women, along cross country standouts Sydney Leiher, Cassia Hameline, Rebecca Skodis and Shaylyn Tuite – who rounded out the top-five at cross country nationals.
After Donald Pollitt and Crittenden each qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and podiumed at the ACC Championships, the pair earned All-America honors in the 110-meter hurdles.
Unfortunately for the Orange, only Crittenden will return for 2015-16 campaign, however he enters the season coming off being the top-collegiate performer at the USATF Nationals last summer.
Shaina Harrison and Rebecca Robinson are keys for the 2015-16 Orange sprinters, Harrison missed outdoor nationals by 0.001 seconds, and returns for her senior campaign after competing in the Pan Am Games for the Canadian 4x100-meter team. Robinson owns the school record in the 400-meter dash.
After a successful end to last season, the Syracuse teams will compete in their first indoor event of the year this weekend at the third annual Greg Page Relays hosted by Cornell University. Last year, highlighting the Orange's performance, Regine Hunter won the triple jump event with a distance of 12.53 meters while the relay team Josh Hayman, David Stankiewicz, Robbie Hall and Paul Lovell finished first in the distance medley relay with a time of 10:42.37. Syracuse also brought home eleven top-10 finishes in other events.
Overall, 2014-2015 was a historic season for the Orange. After breaking numerous program records and breaking into the top-20 rankings, both the men and women teams will look to set new records in 2015-16.
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