Bucknell University Athletics
Costello, Dennis to Represent Bucknell at Nationals Tomorrow
11/18/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Nov. 18, 2001
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell cross country runners Greg Costello and Theresa Dennis will travel to Furman University in Greenville, S.C. tomorrow afternoon to compete as individuals in the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships.
Costello and Dennis qualified for the national meet at the NCAA Mid-East Regional on Saturday, Nov. 10. In regional competition, the top two teams and the next four individuals who are not members of the top two teams receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Championship.
Costello earned his way into nationals with a seventh place finish at the regional meet. He was the third individual to qualify in the 196-man field. A 10th-place showing was good enough for Dennis to qualify. She picked up the fourth and final automatic bid in the women's competition, which consisted of 180 runners.
A junior, Costello will be making his first appearance in the NCAA Championships.
"Greg has been a tremendous team leader who is very passionate about his running," said first-year head coach Kevin Donner. "It is a tremendous honor to qualify for the NCAA Championship-especially as a junior. His training and racing is on an upswing and I would not be surprised to see him running near the front of the pack tomorrow."
The first Bucknell men's cross country runner to qualify for the NCAA's as an individual since 1994, Costello has enjoyed an outstanding season. He placed in the top-10 at five different meets, including the Patriot League Championship, where he came in seventh to earn all-Patriot League recognition for the second year in a row.
"When you go to college, your number one goal is to make nationals," said Costello. "That was my ultimate goal, but I thought if I went it would come as a senior. I was surprised to make it this early.
"My goal is to become an All-American, so I'll need to place in the top 25 or finish as one of the top 25 Americans," continued Costello. "I've set my goals pretty high, but I think they're within reach."
Dennis, also a junior, is back at nationals for the second time after helping Bucknell earn an at-large bid into the NCAA's as a freshman in 1999. She placed 143rd that season at nationals, which were held at Indiana University.
"Theresa has been improving every single meet," said Donner, "and it did not surprise me at all that she qualified for the NCAA Championship. I believe that she is ready to run another solid race and represent Bucknell in fine fashion."
Dennis became the first women's cross country runner at Bucknell to qualify for nationals as an individual since 1997. Her performance at regionals marked the first time in her career that she finished as the team's top runner, although she has shown incredible consistency since her freshman season. At this year's Patriot League Championship, Dennis placed third to earn All-Patriot League honors for the third year in a row.
"Qualifying for nationals was probably something I've had on my list of goals since I first started running in seventh grade," said Dennis. "To represent Bucknell University at this level is a great honor, and hopefully I will prove that our entire team deserved to be there."
Costello and Dennis are well-prepared for the course they will compete on at Furman after running in the Pre-NCAA meet at Furman on Oct. 13.
Action begins tomorrow at 11 a.m. with the men's 10,000 meter race. The women's 6,000 meter competition is scheduled to start at 12:15 p.m.
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