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Volume CXXXIII, Number 3 |
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Men's cross country picks up #12 spot, heads
to New York
ALEX MOORE
Staff Writer
The Bowdoin Men's Cross Country Team, currently ranked twelfth in the
nation, will toe the line for the first time this season tomorrow at the
NYU Invitational. Held at Van Cortland Park in New York City, the race
will be the Polar Bear's initial chance to defend the Division III ranking
they received this week.
This year marks the third consecutive season that the Polar Bears will
travel to New York for this five-mile race. In 1999, the men's team finished
first overall. Last year, the Polar Bears took third place behind Haverford
College and College of New Jersey.
Every other cross country team in the country already has several races
under their belts. However, the Bowdoin men are sure to have a fast debut
on this hilly and difficult Bronx course. The team has been training hard
the past several weeks. Thirteen men are making the trip, all of whom
are able to run at least 5:30 mile pace over a five-mile course.
All-American and captain Steve Allison '01 and captain Todd Forsgren
'03, perhaps the best first and second runner combination of any team
in the northeast, will surely prove to be key to the team's chance for
a trip to Nationals on November 17.
Conor O'Brien '03, one of the varsity team's seven juniors, is looking
forward to running against some other nationally ranked teams, like the
#16 CONJ, won't be seen again unless the Polar Bears qualify for Nationals.
"Van Cortland Park is historic. I ran there in high school,"
O'Brien said. "A lot of cross country runners from all over have
run there."
Scott Barbuto '03, born and raised in New York, loves competing in his
home state. "This is my favorite race of the entire year, because
I have raced this course in every cross country season I have ever run,"
remarked Barbuto. "It is also fun because there are a lot of alumni
in the area, and many come to the race and cheer us on," added Barbuto.
Other nationally ranked teams from the northeast who will compete tomorrow
include #6 Keene State, #7 M.I.T., #8 Tufts University, #10 Williams College,
and #23 Trinity College.
To follow up the big race, men will host Wesleyan next week on their
home course.