Spring Break
The Daily OrangeXC | Final Big East Championship spots up for grabs for Syracuse in Reif Memorial
By Sean Quinn
Posted: 10/21/05, 1:53 AM EST Section: Sports
The Syracuse cross country "B" squad will be running for more than pride and experience in its final meet of the season today at the Reif Memorial in Ithaca. At stake for the men's and women's winners are the final spots on the varsity rosters for Big East Championships on Oct. 28.
"These guys train hard," SU head coach Chris Fox said. "This means a lot to them. It should mean a lot to them or they shouldn't be out here. Plus, there's a Big East roster spot on the line."
The field, one of the smallest SU has raced in, includes regional schools Binghamton and Cornell, which won the memorial last season. Fox expects most of the schools to run secondary teams in preparation for conference meets
The Orange "B" squad last competed at the UB Open two weeks ago, where both teams placed third. Sophomores Meghan Rowcliffe and Matt Gervasio were the top runners for the Orange. Gervasio, though, is already on the varsity roster. Junior Chris McDonald was the next highest runner. Fox expects the men to run their best race of the season.
"It should be a good heat up front with the top four or five guys trying to make their mark," he said.
For the rest of the team, it means much needed experience.
"A lot of these kids are young and haven't run big-time cross country," Fox said. "This is their chance to get experience. It'll be a harder team to make next year, so this will be a good test for them."
The "B" squad didn't travel to Oklahoma for the Cowboy Jamboree on Oct. 1 and won't be competing at the Big East Championships, but Fox insists they are just as vital to the success of the program as the varsity squad.
"Those guys are good contributors to the team, both physically and emotionally," Fox said. "If we did the same workout we do now back on Labor Day, they would just kill it."
"These guys train hard," SU head coach Chris Fox said. "This means a lot to them. It should mean a lot to them or they shouldn't be out here. Plus, there's a Big East roster spot on the line."
The field, one of the smallest SU has raced in, includes regional schools Binghamton and Cornell, which won the memorial last season. Fox expects most of the schools to run secondary teams in preparation for conference meets
The Orange "B" squad last competed at the UB Open two weeks ago, where both teams placed third. Sophomores Meghan Rowcliffe and Matt Gervasio were the top runners for the Orange. Gervasio, though, is already on the varsity roster. Junior Chris McDonald was the next highest runner. Fox expects the men to run their best race of the season.
"It should be a good heat up front with the top four or five guys trying to make their mark," he said.
For the rest of the team, it means much needed experience.
"A lot of these kids are young and haven't run big-time cross country," Fox said. "This is their chance to get experience. It'll be a harder team to make next year, so this will be a good test for them."
The "B" squad didn't travel to Oklahoma for the Cowboy Jamboree on Oct. 1 and won't be competing at the Big East Championships, but Fox insists they are just as vital to the success of the program as the varsity squad.
"Those guys are good contributors to the team, both physically and emotionally," Fox said. "If we did the same workout we do now back on Labor Day, they would just kill it."
