Cross Country Teams Show Early Season Success
9/28/2006 1:31:54 PM | Cross Country
Women's Cross Country Regional Poll
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Orange cross country teams are in the midst in one of the program's most successful seasons in recent history. After sweeping the team titles at the Spike Shoe Invitational hosted by Penn State this past weekend, both teams rose in the U.S. Track & Field Coaches Association Northeast Regional Ranking. The men’s team gained three spots, rising from ninth in the preseason poll to sixth, while the women appeared in the rankings for the first time this season at ninth.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse Orange cross country teams are in the midst in one of the program's most successful seasons in recent history. After sweeping the team titles at the Spike Shoe Invitational hosted by Penn State this past weekend, both teams rose in the U.S. Track & Field Coaches Association Northeast Regional Ranking. The men’s team gained three spots, rising from ninth in the preseason poll to sixth, while the women appeared in the rankings for the first time this season at ninth.
“I would say we are about a year ahead of where we expected to be,” said head coach Chris Fox. “We have only been here a year. We thought we would be this good perhaps next year. We are ahead of the game. The overall plan has quickened up a little bit.”
The men’s team finished first of 24 teams at the Spike Shoe Invitational on Saturday to remain undefeated on the season. The team was led by sophomore transfer Jeff Scull, who finished third overall with a time of 25:57.80. Scull transferred to Syracuse from Colorado State, where he helped lead the Rams to the NCAA Tournament in 2004. He believes that this year’s SU team can be just as good as his Colorado State team two years ago and he also echoed the thoughts of Coach Fox and the progress the team has made this year.
“There is probably more talent for Syracuse (than Colorado State) eventually in the years to come,” Scull said. “Based on just this year, I don’t think we are as strong up front but we are a lot deeper than the team was at Colorado State. I think we are ahead of where we anticipated. I think we are in good position to make the nationals. Coming in, I thought that would be a long shot for this season and it would be a really good goal for next season. I definitely think that we are in good position for this year.”
On the women’s side, sophomore Nana Sang-Bender helped lead the Orange to a victory on Saturday, finishing first of 25 teams at Penn State. Sang-Bender, who finished fifth of 316 runners with a time of 21:25.60, attributes much of the team’s success to the strong freshman class brought in this past year by Fox.
“The team performed very well on Saturday,” Sang-Bender said. “It was an amazing performance from both sides, especially from the freshmen. They came out big. It was just their second race but they really did a good job. For me, I just really have to do what I feel comfortable doing. I have seen everybody step up. Everybody is one step ahead from where they were the first meet so that was a good thing.”
Freshman Daniel Busby placed ninth overall on the men’s side, finishing with a time of 23:26.90 while freshmen Maegan Krifchin and Jenna Bieri each turned in impressive performances for the women’s team. Krifchin placed 10th with a time of 21:57.60 while Bieri finished 12th in 22:07.75.
“The freshmen came up big on Saturday,” Fox said. “Jenna Bieri and Maegan Krifchin both ran very well and Daniel Busby was a top 10 finisher and that is huge for a freshman.”
Both Scull and Sang-Bender also attribute much of their early-season success to the coaching by Fox and distance coach Brien Bell. They both believe that the coaches are a big reason for the team’s current success and will help lead Syracuse to a successful future.
“Coach (Fox) is great,” Scull said. “Both coaches are a big reason why I came to Syracuse. They have been living up to all the promises that they made, so it’s been good.”
“He (Coach Fox) has helped me a lot,” Sang-Bender said. “As a freshman, I came on this team not knowing the coaches and not knowing anyone. He has helped me from day one when he saw me do my workout. I talk to him whenever I need him. He is great. He is a great coach to have and I am happy to have him as my coach.”
“We definitely try to make everybody feel comfortable,” Fox said. “Our sport is a little more personality-driven, more so than just X’s and O’s. So you tend to want to talk people into doing good things. Building confidence is a big part of it. The workouts are intended to build confidence. The conversation Coach Bell and I have with each kid is to help them become more confident. It has a lot to do with it. The older kids, the kids who we had last year that have been in our program now for 12 months, you can see that they have improved and they’re running with more confidence.”
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