Bucknell University Athletics
Cross Country Teams Ready For The Challenge At The Pre-NCAA Meet In Iowa
10/20/2000 8:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 13, 2000
LEWISBURG, Pa. -
The Bucknell men's and women's cross country teams will travel to Ames, Iowa, to compete in the Pre-NCAA Meet tomorrow.
The concept of the Pre-NCAA meet is to allow teams to get a first-hand look and feel for the course where the national championships will be held later this fall, and to help the cross country committee with their eventual decision-making in the selection process for at-large bids to the championships.
Head Coach Art Gulden realizes that this is a very important meet for his teams, but feels that they are ready for the challenge. "We are really physically and mentally ready. I think everyone on the team knows that everything is in preparation for conference, for regionals, and for NCAA's if we get there. I think they all feel strongly in the direction we are headed," commented the 31-year veteran mentor.
The meet will include nearly 20 of the Top-25 teams on both the men's and women's side, and the opportunity to race against top notch competition will benefit the Bison when they attempt to repeat as conference champions in two weeks (Oct. 28) at Lehigh. "Our kids see what is happening with other teams over the course of the season, and there are some teams out there right now that beat us earlier in the year but are now hurting or just not prepared to the point we are right now. Our kids come out of workouts now knowing how well they are prepared and I'd be surprised if we don't run really well this weekend."
Coach Gulden and his teams will change their strategy a bit entering this race. "The competition in this race is overwhelming. It's basically an NCAA meet, and for us to be successful we need to get into the race early. Last year we didn't do that. We beat teams but we never got in the race. We need to get out in the first half mile or so and be very involved in the first two miles, and then see what happens.
In a big race you can't sit back and run in a pack. You have to get into the race or you'll find yourself too far back at the end."
Bucknell's women will once again be led by junior co-captain Becki Marshall (Montgomery, N.Y./Pine Bush Central). Marshall finished 96th at the NCAA meet last year, and Coach Gulden has set a goal for her in the meet this weekend. "I think if Becki runs well she can finish in the Top-50. Her start is going to be important and she'll need to get in the race early."Other top performers for the women thus far have been sophomores Theresa Dennis (Wilkes Barre, Pa./Hanover Area) and Andrea Beisser (Ames, Iowa/Ames), juniors Chris Crowe (State College, Pa./State College) and Kelly McConnell (Danville, Pa./Danville), and senior co-captain Mandy Youmell (Weedsport, N.Y./Weedsport).
The men's team will be led by senior Kevin Weatherill (Swedesboro, N.J./The Peddie School) and sophomore Greg Costello (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon). Weatherill has finished first for the Bison in each of the team's last two races, while Costello has placed first, second and third for Bucknell this season.
Other top performers for the men include seniors Brad Wertz (Altoona, Pa./Bellwood-Antis), Dana Carr (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) and Josh Emery (Dushore, Pa./Sullivan County), and junior Evan Honeyfield (Wellsboro, Pa./Wellsboro).
The "B Team" will also be in competition tomorrow at the Delaware Invitational.
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