Tech embarks on a training weekend and races in a meet
BLACKSBURG, VAB - Fresh off from their second week of no competition, the Virginia Tech men's and women's cross country teams are slated to run in the Bobcat Invite Part VII with host Lees-McRae College, Appalachian State and Warren Wilson College on Saturday, October 2 in Banner Elk, N.C.The women's race begins at 9:15 a.m. and the men's race starts at 10 a.m. Both races will be held at the athletic fields on the campus of Lees-McRae College.
"We have competed at this meet for a couple years now. It is a low key meet with beautiful trails and I have special ties in the area being a former coach of nearby Appalachian State," states head coach Ben Thomas. "In addition to running in the meet both travel squads are going to train at Zap Fitness, an elite training center and mountain retreat in Blowing Rock, N.C. "
Thomas goes on to say, "The men's team is making progress each week. Michael Lawson and David Atkiss lead a nice group of freshman (Billy Berlin, James Scheiner and Zach Thomas) about 30 seconds behind them. They have a good one through five runner spread. The women will have three or four strong runners in the front of the pack when Morgan Ekemo and Tina Tremmel are able to race in the upcoming meets. Jessica Morris and Jessica Fanning are doing a great job leading the pack and being the top women's finishers. Fanning is running longer distances than in high school and is keeping up with the competition in her first year."
PREVIEW OF THE COMPETITIONM.B<
Lees-McRae's women's cross country is poised to make another run at the Carolinas Virginia Athletics Conference title this year. The Bobcats return six of their top seven while adding two newcomers who could run in the top five. Leading the way is senior Mairy Trexler, a three-time All-CVAC performer, and Angela Chappell, a two-time All-CVAC performer. Leslie Thurman, the 2003 Freshman of the Year, along with All-CVAC runners Casey Willis and Rebecca Johnson are poised to help the Bobcats make it their sixth CVAC title in seven years.
On the men's side, Lees-McRae returns three of their top five performers. Brian Knapp is coming off a spring which saw him participate in the NCAA DII Outdoor Track National Championships. He will be pushed by senior Andrew Walton and last year's Freshman of the Year, Lewis Martin.
The Appalachian State women's cross country team finished second at the Asics/Winthrop University Invitational last weekend and the men's program picked up third. Katie Sujokowski was the top ASU female finisher placing third. Two other harriers placed in the top ten. Joe Halin, Southern Conference Runner of the Week, was the top finisher on the men's team with a sixth place finish.
NCAA Division III Warren Wilson cross country competes in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). Seniors Bart Pfactz and Nick Kiosterman lead the men's team while senior Brie Noiseux, Niki Cochren and Melina Palumbo lead the eleven runner women's team.
HOKIE 2004 HIGHLIGHTS
So far this season, Tech won the men's and women's team scoring and had six top-ten finishers at the first meet of the season, Festival in the Fields. The Hokies defeated Division I harriers Liberty University and Wayne State University.
Freshman Jessica Fanning won the women's race and led the Tech's women team to a second place finish at the Lou Onesty Invitational hosted by the University of Virginia two weeks ago. Fanning was honored as Virginia Tech's Athlete of the Week for her performance. Two other Hokie women had top-ten finishes in the meet and the men's team grabbed fourth place. This was the Hokies first meeting with an ACC cross country team in the inaugural season.