Distance Runners Race Past Local Competition in Ithaca, N.Y.; Orange Posts Two First-Place Finishes

Friday, October 24

Ithaca, N.Y.

TBA

Syracuse University

John Reif Memorial

Sophomore Katie Hursey claimed the individual crown at the John Reif Memorial in Ithaca, N.Y. on Friday. The 2007 All-Northeast Region runner will be one of nine Orange women representatives at the BIG EAST Championship this Friday.

Distance Runners Race Past Local Competition in Ithaca, N.Y.; Orange Posts Two First-Place Finishes

10/25/2008 2:54:23 PM | Cross Country

Women's 5K Results
Men's Five Mile Results

Women's Season Results

Men's Season Results

Championship Central Page

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Syracuse men and women's cross country teams dominated the local competition in the 22nd annual John Reif Memorial Run at the Moakley Course on Friday afternoon hosted by Cornell University.

Sophomore Katie Hursey emerged victorious in the women's 5K run, bolting past 54 other runners in a time of 18:44. Freshman Natalie Busby finished in second place with a clip of 19:05. Rounding out SU's top ten performers were sophomore Liz McCarter with a seventh-place time of 19:26 and junior Lisa Giacometti in ninth place with a pace of 19:45.

The remainder of the Orange women finished in the following order:

Junior Stefanie Slekis (13th – 19:51)

Junior Lynne Mundy (20th – 20:19)

Senior Emily Goncalves (25th – 20:43)

Junior Katie Bower (26th – 20:46)

Sophomore Jenna Bieri (28th – 20:48)

Sophomore Tricia Wardwell (31st – 21:30)

Senior Lindsey Morel (38th – 22:35)

"Today was a great opportunity for our young and less experienced athletes to run a very good college meet," head coach Chris Fox said. "It also decided the last open position for the BIG EAST Championship on the women’s team, so there was some inner-team competition that will make for good practice this upcoming weekend at Van Cortlandt Park."

The men responded in similar fashion as the women when freshman Forrest Misenti dominated the five-mile race in a winning-time of 26:15. Misenti competed as an unattached runner on Friday evening. Freshman Brady Becker came in 10 seconds behind Misenti for third place in 26:25. Freshman Zach Rivers, sophomore Erin Schrim and junior Anthony Socotch completed the Orange's top ten finishers. Rivers completed the run in 26:53 for seventh place, Schirm crossed the finish line in a ninth-place effort of 27:01 and Socotch claimed 10th place by running to the tune of 27:20.

Sophomore Mike Brocks burned though the five mile challenge in 27:34 for 11th place while senior Robbie Cary picked up 14th place, breaking the tape in 27:50. Junior Matt Martina concluded the race in 15th place with a time of 28:05 while sophomore Stephen Benedict fashioned a 16th place time of 28:06. Freshman Jeff Sweeney and sophomore Pat Murray claimed 20th and 21st place, respectively, finalizing their times at 28:36 and 28:55.

This Friday, October 31, Syracuse will run in the BIG EAST Championship in Van Cortlandt Park, N.Y. In last year's conference culmination, senior Nana Sang-Bender powered the Syracuse women to a program-best fourth-place overall finish while senior Jeff Scull led the Orange men to a fifth-place overall finish at the 2007 BIG EAST Championship.