Beck's 2nd season about to begin
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Cross Country
FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The men’s and women’s cross country teams begin their second season under head coach Jeff Beck. In his first season, Beck's men finished fourth at the SUNYAC Meet while the women placed fifth.
The men will rely on senior Tom Williams (Queensbury) to be the pace-setter.
In 2008, Williams finished fourth at SUNYACs, 18th at the Atlantic Regional, and 83rd at the NCAA national meet.
The rest of the squad is eager for the 2009 campaign to get under way as well. “We were a little disappointed with our finish at the SUNYAC meet," Beck said, "but the season ended well at the regionals. That has the team really looking forward to this year."
In addition to Williams, junior Eddie Novara (Angola/Lake Shore) is expected to be among the Devils’ top harriers. He finished last season with a 54th-place finish in the Atlantic Regional, second-best on the squad, and was named Second Team All SUNYAC. Beck expects Novara to be even better this fall: “Eddie improved immensely through indoor and outdoor track.”
Other Blue Devils returning that made the trip to regionals last year include juniors Nick Guarino (Bergen/Byron-Bergen), Matt Kepler (Valley Cottage/Nyack), Josh Guarino (Bergen/Byron-Bergen) and David "Mac" McMahill (Hemlock/Livonia).
Newcomer Brian Gallagher (Queensbury) is the top freshman, one Beck expects to contribute by the end of the year.
The women will be led by senior Sarah Furman (West Berne/Berne-Knox-Westerlo). “She is coming off an injury and will miss the first few meets,” Beck said. “When she comes back I expect her to be at the front of the pack.”
Other returnees include sophomore Katie Krueger (Jamestown), sophomore Shannon Gowen (Clarence), and junior Hailey Guard (Youngstown/Lewiston-Porter). Sophomore Ashley Cocuzzi (Webster/Webster-Schroeder), who did well during the outdoor track season in the spring, joins the team this fall and will also have an impact.
Beck expects freshman Nicole Bochman (Jamestown) to have an immediate impact and be near the front of the field.
The season opens Sept. 5 with the Buffalo State Invitational at Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island. The Blue Devils follow that up with a Sept. 11 trip to Penn State. "It (the Penn State meet) will be a great meet to run against some (NCAA Division I) competition along with some strong D-III schools," Beck said. "It will be good for our (teams) to run at a fast pace.”
Beck also notes the Oct. 3 Geneseo Invitational at Letchworth State Park as a significant meet and measuring stick for the teams’ progress. It is the same course that will be used for the NCAA Atlantic Regional later in the fall, in addition to having a significant number of teams from the Atlantic Region competing.
The annual Fredonia State Invitational is slated for Sept. 19, the Blue Devils' lone home meet, at Lake Erie State Park.