Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Cross Country Team Aiming To Cross The Line First
9/2/2002 8:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Sept. 2, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell University women's cross country team is ready to head back onto the course to tackle another challenging season. The women's squad has been nominated by head coaches and sports information directors to win their fifth-straight Patriot League title in the 2002 season.
"I am very excited about the 2002 women's team," says head coach Kevin Donner. "With the exception of Theresa Dennis, we will have game veterans who do not have the 'big meet' experience. These participants will need to step up and bring their running to a new level."
Fortunately for the Bison, 15 letterwinners return from last season's squad. As tri-captains this season, seniors Nicki Piper and Theresa Dennis, and junior Jennifer Malcolm will keep the Orange and Blue running to the top.
Piper finished the past season with a 63rd placement at the ECAC Championship, as well as tallying 30th at the Patriot League Championship. Dennis, a strong runner for the Bison, completed a season best while running at Lehigh and clocking 21:39.80 for a 12th place finish. Dennis also displayed great talent when she turned in the highest finish at the NCAA's in Bucknell women's cross country history. She crossed the line 73rd out of 249 competitors, and finished with a time of 21:53. Malcolm competed in three meets for the Bison last season and looks to grab more action on the course this season after a recovering from an injury.
"Our three captains all have their unique strengths that will help our program develop," stated Donner.
There are many runners returning for the Bison who will also assist in the pursuit of a fifth Patriot League championship. Participants such as sophomores Jennifer Marsh, Carolyn Mateskon and Kelly Raffety, junior Cecily Cairns, and senior Michelle Baylor will run the course for Bucknell as they look to hold off Army, American and Lehigh in the Patriot League.
Bucknell will start the season off at the nearby Penn State Spiked Shoe Invitational. The Bison then challenge themselves through several invitational meets early in the season, before hosting the Gulden Invitational on Oct. 5. In mid-October Bucknell will get a taste of the national competition at the Pre-NCAA meet at Indiana State. The Bison will see one more meet before proceeding to the Patriot League Championship at West Point, N.Y., scheduled for Nov. 2. Following the Patriot League Championship, the Herd will run at the Mid-Atlantic Regional meet (Bethlehem, Pa.) and the ECAC Championship (Bronx, N.Y.).
