Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Paul Short Memorial
Cross Country Teams Place Second at Lehigh
10/6/2001 8:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Oct. 6, 2001
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Junior Greg Costello finished ninth out of 274 runners, and senior Becki Marshall placed eighth out of 269 competitors, and the Bucknell University men's and women's cross country teams each placed second out of 39 schools this afternoon in the Lehigh University Aardvark-Mizuno Paul Short Run at the Goodman Campus Cross Country Course.
The men's team compiled a team score of 135, and finished only behind Penn State for the team title. Costello chipped 52 seconds off his previous season-best time, and scaled the five-mile course in 25:04.53. Junior Bryan Johnston also broke the top 25 for the Bison. The team co-captain placed 17th in a season-best 25:14.94.
Rounding out the team scoring for Bucknell were senior P.J. Ward (30th, 25:35.59), senior Travis Etters (41st, 25:44.52) and junior Lou Palma (43rd, 25:46.41). Also competing were graduate student Kevin Weatherill (54th, 25:53.55) and senior Evan Honeyfield (195th, 27:36.18).
"Considering the quantity of our traning over the past three weeks, I thought our men gave a very admirable effort," said head coach Kevin Donner. "We were not as sharp as we needed to be, but I am confident that the training will really pay off once the championship meets start."
The women's team turned in a remarkable performance, placing just 14 points behind Penn State for the team title. Marshall completed the 3.8 mile course in 21:34.21, a season-best and only 26 seconds behind race winner Erin Silvering of Rhode Island. Junior Theresa Dennis was the next Bison to cross the line, placing 12th in 21:39.80.
Seniors Chris Crowe, Kelly McConnell and Kristin Ferrell completed the team scoring for Bucknell. Crowe placed 19th in 21:52.37, and McConnell was 38th in 22:18.33. Ferrell took 51st in 22:29.76. Freshman Katie Bishop (127th, 23:51) and sophomore Stephanie Keller (158th, 23:44.32) were the sixth and seventh Bison to finish the race.
"Our women's team had a poor start off the gun, but did an outstanding job staying patient and working their way through the field to finish a very respactable second," said Donner. "We are a much better team than we were four weeks ago and we hope to continue to improve."
Both teams will send their top seven runners to the Pre-NCAA meet next Saturday at Furman University. The remainder of the teams will compete at the Delaware Invitational.
Top Three Team Finishers: Men: 1. Penn State, 66, 2. Bucknell, 135, 3. West Virginia, 138. Women: 1. Penn State, 109, 2. Bucknell, 123, 3. Moravian, 135.
Top 10 Individual Finishers: Men: 1. Daniel Wilson, Connecticut, 24:19.33, 2. Adriann Blincoe, Villanova, 24:29.75, 3. Steve Walsh, Penn State, 24:48.40, 4. Chris McPhee, Detroit-Mercy, 24:53.99, 5. Erik Bennett, West Virginia, 24:59.81, 6. Jamie Rodriguez, Albany, 24:59.84, 7. Scott Munro, Penn State, 25:00.84, 8. Gregg Davis, Penn State, 25:01.88, 9. Greg Costello, Bucknell, 25:04.53, 10. Nick Allen, Wayne State, 25:05.11. Women: 1. Erin Silvering, Rhode Island, 21:08.00, 2. Michelle Wale, Penn State, 21:15.85, 3. Renee Gunning, Villanova, 21:24.23, 4. Kim Humstreet, Detroit-Mercy, 21:25.83, 5. Heidi Wolfsberger, Moravian, 21:26.88, 6. Beth Wightman, Queen's (Canada), 21:27.93, 7. Ruthie Cook, Detroit-Mercy, 21:29.06, 8. Becki Marshall, Bucknell, 21:34.21, 9. Merissa Sexsmith, West Virginia, 21:36.67, 10. Gleeson Abigale, Pennsylvania, 21:37.78.
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