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Men Move into 26th in the Nation after Strong Showing at the Paul Short Invitational
10/7/2008 9:46:15 PM | Cross Country
Photo Gallery from the Paul Short
Men's National Rankings
Women's National Rankings
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – On Tuesday afternoon, the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its third national poll of the season. The men’s harriers tied its highest national ranking ever at 26th. The Orange men were listed in 28th to start the season and then dipped to 30th in the second poll before catapulting four spots after a great run at the Paul Short Invitational on Friday, Oct. 3.
Junior Brad Miller claimed fifth-place individually with a pace of 23:58 at Lehigh University. The 26th ranked men’s squad picked up second place out of 45 teams overall.
Wisconsin moved up one rung to fifth-place in the country after winning the Paul Short, but the Orange was on the Badgers heels the entire race, finishing in second by an average of a meager 12 seconds.
Former BIG EAST Athlete of the Week junior Dan Busby crossed the tape behind Miller for eighth-place in 24:02. Junior Jay Koloseus looped the 8k track for 12th place in 24:07 while senior Jeff Scull closed out his day in 24th with a time of 24:23. Freshman Tito Medrano (24:41), sophomore Steve Murdock (24:50) and freshman Griff Graves (25:24) collected concluded the race in 47th, 62nd, and 124th, in that order.
The women have also received some national attention this week, earning multiple votes in the USTFCCCA poll this week. The Orange finished in fifth place out of 43 teams led by junior Meagan Krifchin’s 19th place run of 20:54. Senior Nana Sang-Bender wrapped up just two seconds behind Krifchin in 20:56 for 20th place. Freshmen Heather Stephens and Lauren Penney 32nd and 39th place times in 21:15 and 21:26 while sophomore Catherine Desarle finished in 40th and crossed in 21:27. Junior Stefanie Skekis closed out the 6k run in 21:39 for 56th place while sophomore Katie Hursey rounded out the Orange line-up in 70th with a time of 21:51.
The Orange returns to the Keystone state on Friday, Oct. 17 to run against some of the country’s best competition at the National Open in State College, Pa. On Saturday, the 18th, Syracuse tackle the terrain in Terre Haute, Ind. at the Pre-Nationals.
