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The Daily OrangeStaff | Syracuse women's cross country team heading to NCAA Nationals
By Staff Report
Posted: 11/20/08, 3:24 AM EST Section: Sports
The Syracuse women's cross country team is on the verge of making history. For the first time ever, the Orange is heading to the NCAA Championships.
The women's team, along with two members of the men's squad, will compete in Terre Haute, Ind., at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course Nov. 24. The women's race begins at approximately 12:08 p.m. Monday, and the men's race at 12:48 p.m.
The Orange women are paced by senior Nana Sang-Bender, who placed fourth overall in the Northeast Regional Championship last weekend. Sang-Bender ran a 21:35.6 in the 6K - the highest-placed female SU runner ever at the event. Junior Maegan Krifchin placed 17th overall with a time of 22:06.6, as freshman Lauren Penney (20th, 22:12.6) and sophomore Rebekah Mackay (22nd, 22:15.5) weren't far behind. Behind this trio, Lauryn MacFawn, Catherine Desarle and Heather Stephens finished in 27th, 44th and 64th, respectively. Sophomore Katie Hursey is the alternate runner for the SU women Monday.
The last time SU had an entire unit of seven runners advance to nationals was the men's team in 1974.
The SU men had two individual runners earn national-qualifying times in juniors Brad Miller and Dan Busby. Miller placed ninth at regionals at 32:01.2 in a 10K race, while Busby (32:03.3) was a stride behind him in 10th place.
The national meet Monday will conclude one of the most successful seasons ever in Syracuse cross-country history. Both the men and women have each stacked up three first-place finishes this fall. Each squad placed fifth at the Big East championships Oct. 31.
Thirty-one teams were chosen to compete in both the men's and women's NCAA Championships Monday. The best two seven-member schools from each of the nine regions in the country earned automatic bids to the tournament, as 13 additional schools were selected as at-large teams.
Triche officially signs
Jamesville-DeWitt guard Brandon Triche has officially signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Syracuse, the school announced Wednesday.
The 6-foot-4 guard was the Class 'A' Player of the Year last season after leading Jamesville-Dewitt to state and federation championships. Triche averaged 20.2 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game last season. In one game as a sophomore, Triche played against current SU guard Jonny Flynn in a high school game at the Manley Field House, where he scored 31 points in an 81-75 win for Jamesville-Dewitt.
Triche committed to play for Syracuse in September. Triche's uncle, Howard Triche, played for the Orangemen from 1983-87.
- compiled by assistant sports editor Tyler Dunne
The women's team, along with two members of the men's squad, will compete in Terre Haute, Ind., at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course Nov. 24. The women's race begins at approximately 12:08 p.m. Monday, and the men's race at 12:48 p.m.
The Orange women are paced by senior Nana Sang-Bender, who placed fourth overall in the Northeast Regional Championship last weekend. Sang-Bender ran a 21:35.6 in the 6K - the highest-placed female SU runner ever at the event. Junior Maegan Krifchin placed 17th overall with a time of 22:06.6, as freshman Lauren Penney (20th, 22:12.6) and sophomore Rebekah Mackay (22nd, 22:15.5) weren't far behind. Behind this trio, Lauryn MacFawn, Catherine Desarle and Heather Stephens finished in 27th, 44th and 64th, respectively. Sophomore Katie Hursey is the alternate runner for the SU women Monday.
The last time SU had an entire unit of seven runners advance to nationals was the men's team in 1974.
The SU men had two individual runners earn national-qualifying times in juniors Brad Miller and Dan Busby. Miller placed ninth at regionals at 32:01.2 in a 10K race, while Busby (32:03.3) was a stride behind him in 10th place.
The national meet Monday will conclude one of the most successful seasons ever in Syracuse cross-country history. Both the men and women have each stacked up three first-place finishes this fall. Each squad placed fifth at the Big East championships Oct. 31.
Thirty-one teams were chosen to compete in both the men's and women's NCAA Championships Monday. The best two seven-member schools from each of the nine regions in the country earned automatic bids to the tournament, as 13 additional schools were selected as at-large teams.
Triche officially signs
Jamesville-DeWitt guard Brandon Triche has officially signed a National Letter of Intent to play for Syracuse, the school announced Wednesday.
The 6-foot-4 guard was the Class 'A' Player of the Year last season after leading Jamesville-Dewitt to state and federation championships. Triche averaged 20.2 points, seven rebounds and six assists per game last season. In one game as a sophomore, Triche played against current SU guard Jonny Flynn in a high school game at the Manley Field House, where he scored 31 points in an 81-75 win for Jamesville-Dewitt.
Triche committed to play for Syracuse in September. Triche's uncle, Howard Triche, played for the Orangemen from 1983-87.
- compiled by assistant sports editor Tyler Dunne
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