Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Dan Mullen,
Sports Information Dept.

DATE: Fri., Nov. 2, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cross Country

State Tournament preview

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State Cross Country teams are headed to St. Lawrence on Saturday for the New York State Track Conference Championship (NYSCTC).

The Fredonia State women's team is fresh off a second place finish in the SUNYAC Championship, which tied their best-ever finish from 2004.

That strong showing led to the women being mentioned in the NCAA national top-35 poll for the first time ever (with one vote).

Before the year is finished, they might be able to achieve another first-ever - a berth at the NCAA Championship Meet - if they close out the season with a strong finish.

"We are hoping to be right in it with St. Lawrence," Fredonia State head coach Nolan Swanson said of this weekend's meet. "I believe we'll need to beat them the following weekend at the NCAA Regional meet to go to the NCAA meet for the first time in program history."

The NCAA Regional will be held the following weekend, November 11, in Geneseo. This weekend however, Fredonia will take the opportunity to get a first-look at No. 34 St. Lawrence.

The weekend's meet will also feature another strong team the Blue Devils have yet to see in No. 23 Ithaca. Also competing will be a more familiar foe, the No.1-ranked and defending national champion Geneseo Blue Knights.

The Blue Devils will look to freshman Jessica Bennett (Rochester/West Irondequoit) for another strong showing. At the SUNYAC Championship she led the women by finishing sixth overall over the 6,000-meter course with a time of 24:08.

Seniors Rachel McNamara (Lakeview/Nardin), Ashley Tramp (Buffalo/Kenmore East) and Aimee Milks (Binghamton/Chenango Forks) all finished in the top-20 during the meet.

The Fredonia State men's team will also be competing after placing sixth in the ten-team SUNYAC Championship October 21.

Freshman Tom Williams (Queensbury/Queensbury) was Fredonia's top finisher in that meet placing 17th in the 8,000-meter course with a time of 24:45.

Coach Swanson is hoping for continued progress from a young men's team.

"We're looking to stay in the top-10 as a team, and possibly achieve some personal and season best 8,000-meter performances from some of them," Swanson said.

The men's race will begin at 11 a.m., and the women's race at noon.

Athletics Home | Fredonia Home