Orange Men and Women Remain at Three and Four in USTFCCCA Northeast Regional Polls
9/29/2008 3:09:54 PM | Cross Country
Men's Northeast Regional Poll
Women's Northeast Regional Poll
View USTFCCCA Regional Polls
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its second regional poll of the season on Monday. The Syracuse men’s and women’s teams secured their third and fourth place rankings in the Northeast Region.
Iona College (men) and Providence (women) landed the number one spot on its respective sides for the second straight week.
The Orange received its highest national preseason ranking in program history when the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the Division I men’s cross country poll. Syracuse is ranked 28th in the nation. Also, the women’s side received votes for the first time on a national level.
In SU’s first two preseason meets (Harry Lang Invitational, 9/6 and the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, 9/13), both the men’s and women’s sides picked up first-place team finishes. At the Harry Lang, The Orange was spearheaded by junior Curtis Bixler and freshman Lauryn MacFawn as the two SU harriers turned in first-place times of 19:05.00 and 17:00.00, respectively. The men trekked a 6K course while the women rounded a 4,200-meter course. Syracuse asserted itself strongly at the Harry Groves Invite, as well, as the men swept the top six spot led by junior Dan Busby and junior Maegan Krifchin claimed second-place, individually.
Busby was named the men’s BIG EAST Cross Country Athlete of the Week last week after leading the men to a perfect 15-point sweep at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational at Penn State. Busby captured first-place by finishing with a time of 25:58 on the 5.2 mile course.
Syracuse is getting ready for its biggest meet of the season to date on Friday, October 3, when the Orange takes part in the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pa. hosted by Lehigh University. Last year the Paul Short, the Syracuse men placed second in a field of 41 teams, and the Orange women finished sixth out of 47 squads. Senior Jeff Scull led the SU men with an eighth-place finish and senior Nana Sang-Bender finished 14th to pace the women.
Men’s Northeast Regional Poll (9-29-2008)
1. Iona
2. Providence
3. Syracuse
4. Dartmouth
5. Cornell
6. Harvard
7. Yale
8. Columbia
9. Brown
10. UMass
11. Army
12. New Hampshire
13. Binghamton
14. Marist
15. Stony Brook
Women’s Northeast Regional Poll (9-29-2008)
1. Providence
2. Boston College
3. Stony Brook
4. Syracuse
5. Cornell
6. Harvard
7. Columbia
8. Brown
9. Iona
10. Quinnipiac
11. Vermont
12. Buffalo
13. Binghamton
14. Maine
15. New Hampshire
