UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond cross country teams are set to face the best of the Atlantic 10 Conference this weekend at the A-10 Cross Country Championships in Pittsburgh, Pa. The women's squad will try to repeat its 2003 performance and garner its second-straight conference title, while the men will try to knock off a La Salle team looking for its fourth-consecutive championship.
Race action is set to begin at 10 a.m. with the women's 5K competition at Schenley Park. The men will then wrap up the day's action with an 8K race starting at 10:45 a.m.
The women's team, which won last season's A-10 Championships by a 29-64 margin over runner-up Rhode Island, is paced by sophomore Amanda Russell. Russell, a four-time Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week, finished eighth in 2003 (18:43.3) to earn one of three All-Conference honors for the Spiders. Also looking to repeat their All-Conference finishes are junior Nicole Kurtain, who finished fourth last season, and sophomore Caitlin Smyth, who came in fifth in 2003.
Sophomore John Ciccarelli, who finished four places outside of All-Conference honors last season (14th), has been the Spiders' leader the 2004 entire season. The South Bury, Conn., native has not finished lower than 18th individually and has a season-best 8K time of 24:37.0 (9/25).
Richmond Athletes Competing in Atlantic 10 Championships (season best times):
Jenna Downey (5K - N/A)
Nicole Erby (5K - 18:22.0)
Shelby Faircloth (5K - 18:09.0)
Diane Kenaston (5K - 18:54.0)
Nicole Kurtain (5K - 17:43.0)
Kate Merrill (5K - N/A)
Diana Morse (5K - 18:11.0)
Amanda Russell (5K - 17:23.0)
Kylee Schuler (5K - 17:56.0)
Caitlin Smyth (5K - 19:46.0)
Samantha Beese (5K - N/A)
Pat Barkhuff (8K - 25:58.0)
John Ciccarelli (8K - 24:37.0)
Brian Gildea (8K - 27:40.6)
Jonathan Molz (8K - 26:44.4)
Peter Norquist (8K - 26:36.0)
Mike Stubbs (8K - N/A)
Hunter Willis (8K - 26:12.0)
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond cross country teams are set to face the best of the Atlantic 10 Conference this weekend at the A-10 Cross Country Championships in Pittsburgh, Pa. The women's squad will try to repeat its 2003 performance and garner its second-straight conference title, while the men will try to knock off a La Salle team looking for its fourth-consecutive championship.
Race action is set to begin at 10 a.m. with the women's 5K competition at Schenley Park. The men will then wrap up the day's action with an 8K race starting at 10:45 a.m.
The women's team, which won last season's A-10 Championships by a 29-64 margin over runner-up Rhode Island, is paced by sophomore Amanda Russell. Russell, a four-time Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week, finished eighth in 2003 (18:43.3) to earn one of three All-Conference honors for the Spiders. Also looking to repeat their All-Conference finishes are junior Nicole Kurtain, who finished fourth last season, and sophomore Caitlin Smyth, who came in fifth in 2003.
Sophomore John Ciccarelli, who finished four places outside of All-Conference honors last season (14th), has been the Spiders' leader the 2004 entire season. The South Bury, Conn., native has not finished lower than 18th individually and has a season-best 8K time of 24:37.0 (9/25).