Cross Country Opens Season

While most students spent their summer working or laying by the pool, but the Bloomsburg University cross country team pent its summer running....and running and running.

Though host Bucknell kept no team scores, assistant coach Jim Brandt kept unofficial results which revelaed that both teams finished third. The women were behind Bucknell and Division III perennial powerhouse, Dickinson, while the men finished behind Bucknell and Lock Haven.

Head coach Karen Brandt was excited about the results, especially it being the opening competition.

"Without summer work, that kind of result wouldn't have happened Friday night," she said. "There is no magic to distance running at the collegiate level. Coach Jim doesn't have some wand he waves over their heads to make them fast and tough. They have to do the miles over the summer to give him the cardiovascular base and mental toughness he needs to work with in the fall to fine tune and direct to optimal performances."  

The women were led by a group of young runners including Ashley Shuck who finished sixth with a time of 18:49 and Amber Hackenberg in 10th in 18:56. Senior Mary Bacher was the lone upperclassmen in the top five, finishing 12th in 19:07, while a pair of freshmen in Shannon Hoffman and Bethany Schwing finished in 13th and 14th with times of 19:09 and 19:10, respectively.

"They didn't hang back at the start like 'scared freshmen' but rather got off the line well and were in contention toward the front of the pack the entire race," Brandt said."We have a very focused group this season, no matter what their class designation, and freshman like these just add commitment and desire to an already strong group."

 For the men, two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) performer, Justin Shepherd led the way. Shepherd finished third in 15:08, while Dave Sanford was 13th in 15:31. Mike Espinosa and Bill Shephardson were 18th and 20th, respectively in times of 15:38 and 15:40, while Tim Marcoe and Dan Ezzi finished a second apart with times of 15:50 and 15:51 in 25th and 26th place.

"[Justin and Dave] both were working to achieve personal goals relative to Lock Haven runners and both met their goals," Brandt said. "Lock Haven has one of the strongest men's teams in the conference, having qualified for nationals the past several years, so the guys use them as a gauge by which to measure their performances."

Brandt was also pleased with the performances from Marcoe and Ezzi, as well and the way they ran as a team.

"Dan Ezzi and Tim Marcoe also ran exceptionally well, executing a race-long battle for position between themselves," she said. "They admitted that racing each other kept them really focused and helped them to higher finishing places than they would have achieved individually.  They are really good friends but fiercely competitive for position during races.  It is a friendly rivalry that they enjoy and which adds to the team success."

With two weeks in between races, the Huskies won't take any time to rest. The Brandt duo has put hard workouts in front of them.

"Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. after having raced Friday night the team was back at practice for a distance day of about 12 miles for the men and 8 to 10 miles for the women," Brandt said. "They ran mile repeats in the hot sun on Monday afternoon and Thursday will do hill intervals on Upper Campus."

Following the two weeks without racing, the Huskies will travel to Lock Haven and then follow that race up with a trip to Penn State for the Spiked Shoe Inviational, where last year, the women were the top Division II team.

  "The two weeks until the Lock Haven meet are an important training time and we are utilizing it to its full potential," Brandt said. "The teams will be given some reduced workouts later next week in order to be rested for the Lock Haven meet and then further tapered prior to the PSU meet on the 24th. Our women are the defending Division II champions and we intend to take that title again this year. We aren't going to do that without some intense training now."