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EDINBORO, PA – The Edinboro University
cross country teams will compete in the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship on Saturday,
October 28. Bloomsburg University is hosting the event.
The Fighting Scots have long been regarded as
the power of the PSAC. The women’s team has won eight
straight PSAC titles, while the men have finished second the last
three years, snapping a string of 11 straight PSAC crowns.
Unfortunately, in all likelihood that will
change this year.
“It’s kind of strange not going to
the conference championship without a strong sense of victory,”
admitted long-time head coach Doug Watts.
“That’s okay, because circumstances
worked out that this is simply not our year. Certainly it is not
the kids who are running that set up this circumstance. They
will represent themselves and Edinboro University well.”
The circumstances referred to by Watts are
injuries, which have ravaged both rosters this year.
“There just isn’t enough
depth to set up the outward goal and winning the championships the
next two weeks,” Watts stated, referring to the PSAC
Championship and upcoming NCAA East Regional. “We are
redshirting three of our top five runners in each gender and that
much missing power is near impossible for most teams to overcome.”
With virtually the entire women’s lineup
made up of freshmen, a ninth straight PSAC title will be
difficult. But Watts expects former All-American Rachael
Lanzel (St. Marys, PA/St. Marys) to be in the hunt for the
individual championship.
“Rachael is a tough, gutsy and
determined runner,” Watts stressed. “She will push to
win her first individual title.”
At the same time, Watts noted that his runners
always look to peak at Nationals, and he expects her to improve
each week at this time of year.
A junior, Lanzel has enjoyed an outstanding
season. She is a two-time All-PSAC performer who a year ago
finished second to former teammate Julie Nemergut. She finished
fifth as a freshman, then went on to earn All-American honors that
year. Lanzel also earned All-American accolades in track earlier
this year.
Look for freshmen Kristine Beringer
(Lockport, NY/Lockport), Erica Bourgeois (Boonville,
NY/Adirondack) and Becca Nungesser (Clarence Center,
NY/Clarence) to be next in line, with sophomore Ashley
Ferraro (Erie, PA/Central).
“The freshmen women have been
outstanding in effort and dedication,” commented Watts. “They’ve
trained especially hard for such a young group, guaranteeing a big
jump in their performances in the years to come.”
On the men’s side, Watts wouldn’t be
surprised to see four runners earn All-PSAC honors, led by junior
Dave Niemira (Strongsville, OH/Strongsville) and sophomore
Josh Arthur (Turin, NY/ South Lewis Central).
Unfortunately, an injury to freshman Eric Brenner (Wooster,
OH/Wooster) leaves the Boro without a fifth man, although he
could be back by regionals.
Niemira placed 24th at the PSAC’s a year
ago, then narrowly missed earning All-Region honors a week later
with a 17th place finish. He has been Edinboro’s top runner
all fall. Arthur did not compete at the PSAC’s last year.
Watts also expects senior Jeff McCabe
(Exeter, PA/Wyoming Area) and sophomore David Blend (North
Canton, OH/Hoover) to contend for All-PSAC status.
“I’ll bet that for the first
time in 30 years, our PSAC opponents have discounted Edinboro,”
concluded Watts. “And I’m not going to remind them that
we are Edinboro cross country, and this lack of concern may prove
dangerous to some teams.”
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