SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Last year at this time, the Susquehanna University men's and women's cross country teams had just welcomed Craig Penney as their head coach and had one meet under their belts.
When the dust had settled on the 1999 campaign, the women’s team could claim their best-ever finish at the Middle Atlantic Conference championships while the men's squad slipped slightly in position at MACs but had six freshmen earn varsity letters — four of whom have returned for their sophomore seasons.
Penney, who has coached seven national qualifiers and one All-American during his career, hopes that health and competitive schedule will lead them to a another spot in the NCAA Regional meet.
“Last year, we were successful even though I didn’t have much time to prepare before the season,” he said. “This season, I feel a bit better about my role here at the university and with the team.”
MEN’S OUTLOOK
Junior co-captains Mike Lehtonen and Jake Trevino will lead a young men’s squad which is expected to play a role in determining the conference champion.
“They have the race experience and maturity to lead us into the top three in our conference,” Penney said. “Our team has good attitude and enthusiasm; they just have to perform on race day.”
Lehtonen (Morris, N.Y./Morris Central H.S.) was the top runner for the Crusaders last season, but fell victim to dehydration at the MAC championships and was unable to finish. However, he rebounded nicely at the NCAA Mideast Regional at Frostburg State, where he placed 77th in a field of 229 runners in a time of 27:58. Trevino (Danville, Pa./Danville H.S.) took 38th place at the MAC championships in a time of 29:08.72.
Sophomore Luke Peterson (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland H.S.) was the team’s top finisher at the MAC championships as he placed 37th with a time of 29:06.41 — coming in 12th among all conference freshmen. Peterson turned in a respectable 106th place finish at the NCAA Mideast Regionals with a time of 28:35.
Joining Lehtonen and Trevino is a talented trio of freshmen — Ryan Gleason (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop H.S.), Ryan McGuire (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon H.S.) and Clint Swartz (Milton, Pa./Warrior Run H.S.).
“They are a very talented group with a lot of upside,” Penney said.
The team should be well prepared, but the test for the young squad will be to translate practice into strong races, Penney said.
WOMEN’S OUTLOOK
The women will look to back up last year’s performance with another finish in the upper echelon of the MAC. In order to complete the task, co-captains junior Kim Owen (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin H.S.) and sophomore Erin Colwell (Belleville, Pa./Indian Valley H.S.) will have to lead the talented trio of sophomores Erin Howard (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson H.S.) and Angela Luino (Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills H.S.) and freshmen Amanda Phillips (Waymart, Pa./Western Wayne H.S.).
Colwell, a former District 6 champion at Indian Valley High School, enjoyed an outstanding freshman season as she recorded the squad’s best finish at MAC Championships, placing 12th with a time of 20:21.86 over the 5,000-meter course. She also won the team’s 85-runner Susquehanna University Invitational and had a season best time of 19:58.56 at the Penn State Spiked Shoe Invitational.
Owen, who placed 10th at the MAC championships as a freshman but could manage just a 45th-place result at last year’s event, though she managed to shave 28 seconds off her time at MACs in the NCAA Mideast Regional.
Howard and Luino each placed in the top 40 at the MAC championships as freshmen, while Luino added a fifth-place finish at the Susquehanna Invitational.
“Our depth will be a big key to our success,” Penney said. “How well our six, seven and eight runners perform will go a long way to determining our outcome this year. Right now I’m not sure who those runners will be.”
THE SCHEDULE
With a difficult schedule, Penney feels the squad could finish in the top third at the NCAA Regional meet at the end of the season.
“This schedule is a great way for us to test ourselves and gives positive exposure for both the university and the athletes.”
After a tough opening three weeks at Lebanon Valley, Penn State and New York University, the Crusaders will get a much needed homecoming on September 30 when they host the Susquehanna Invitational at 10:30 a.m.
The course is a little bit different this year and it’s a lot better for the spectators and the runners,” Penney said.
“We will be looking forward to it after a tough opening three weeks.”
