NEW PALTZ, NY — The SUNY New Paltz men’s and women’s cross country teams have set their sights on finishing in the upper echelon at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship. Among a field of nine teams at last year’s conference championship, the men turned in a fourth place finish while the women were eighth. Both teams participated in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional Championships where the men finished 15th among 33 schools and the women were 19th among 29.
First year head coach, and former SUNY New Paltz track & field standout, Cassandra Quackenbush took over the program in July after Brett Willmott was named the head coach at conference rival Plattsburgh. Quackenbush, an assistant under Willmott a year ago, will benefit from a strong group of returning runners on both squads. The men bring back two of their top three runners from 2002 while the women return four of their top five.
On the men’s side, senior Dan Holton (Rhinebeck, NY), who earned All-SUNYAC accolades for the first time in his career last season, could assume the number one spot with the graduation of three-time All-SUNYAC performer Phil Goodwin. Holton’s season best performance came at the SUNYAC Championship where finished ninth with a time of 26:51. He also helped lead the Hawks to a third place finish at the Hamilton Queen Invitational with a 10th place finish and a mark of 27:06.
Senior John Zarella (Mahopac, NY) was among the Hawks’ top three finishers in all six meets last fall. Zarella came in 25th with a time of 27:40 at the SUNYAC Championship last October and recorded a season-best mark of 27:08 against a field of Division I, II, and III athletes at Lehigh’s Paul Short Invitational.
The Hawks will also welcome back junior Sam Austin (Northport, NY). Austin’s run of 30:59 helped lead the Hawks to an eighth place result at the New York University Invitational. His season best performance came in a sixth place finish for New Paltz at the Keene State Invitational where he crossed the finish line in 30:08 to place 67th.
Quackenbush helped recruit 11 new runners who will provide strong legs and depth for the squad. The newcomers include juniors George Correa (Central Islip, NY), Jason Letts (Plattsburgh, NY), and Dane Lucas (East Islip, NY). This year’s freshmen class features Alex Adelewitz (Ithaca, NY), Kyle Kerelchuk (Lakeview, NY), Sean Lilly (East Rockaway, NY), Colin Mills (Smithtown, NY), Matt McLean (Oswego, NY), Mike Nelson (Dixhills, NY), Harry Sudwischer (Copiague, NY), and Marko Vujovic (Dover Plains, NY).
Despite the loss of Rebecca Demeri, the team’s top finisher in all six meets last season, the women’s squad returns a strong group of sophomores. Janet Walsh (Baldwinsville, NY), Kate Choromanski (Shelton, CT), and Heather DeBuono (Fishkill, NY), who were consistently the second, third, and fourth finishers for the Hawks last season, will anchor the top of the New Paltz lineup. Walsh and Choromanski were 25th and 45th respectively at last year’s SUNYAC Championship.
On a roster that does not include any seniors, junior Kelly Moore (Rochester, NY) is the team’s lone returning upperclassman. Moore ran a season best time of 22:44 in the Hawks 12th place finish at the Hamilton College Invitational. At the 2002 SUNYAC Championship, Moore completed the course in 23:37 and finished 82nd.
This year’s roster will also feature six newcomers. Sophomore Marisa Ouranitsas (Levittown, NY) will join freshmen Alida Van Almelo (Groton, NY), Kelly Dunphy (Hauppauge, NY), Christine Ladny (Portland, CT), Jessica Waterbury (Mount Sinai, NY), and Alexandria Wojcik (Bay Shore, NY) on this year’s roster.
New Paltz opens up their 2003 season at the Vassar Invitational on Sept. 13 at 12:00 pm.
