Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSyracuse's deep "pack" of runners leads to Big East title
By Rachel Stern
Posted: 11/4/09, 2:34 AM EST Section: Sports
When Pat Dupont crossed the finish line, he immediately turned around and felt sick to his stomach.
Dupont was not physically ill - though he just completed the 8,000-meter race in a team-best 24:51 - he was just nervous. He didn't see any of his teammates in the immediate distance.
Then, a wave of Orange appeared, as six SU runners all finished within a 23 second span.
"They just all came in at once," Dupont said. "We have a really tight pack and with cross country, you have to be deep. The fact that we are so deep and we were able to put eight guys in front of Georgetown's fourth like that is ridiculous."
Dupont and the "pack" of Syracuse runners captured the program's first Big East Championship on Saturday, as they finished six points ahead of defending national champion, Georgetown. Though some squads struggled to get more than three of their runners in the top 20, the Orange had seven top 20 performers.
It is this depth that has propelled the SU men's cross country team to new levels this year. In addition to the team's first conference championship, the men are ranked No. 11 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll. The Orange next turns its attention to the NCAA Northeast Regional meet on Nov. 14 in Boston, which leads into the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 23.
The women's squad finished third Saturday in the Big East meet.
"It was the best cross country day we have ever had," said Jeff Scull, who returned to the program as a graduate student this year. "This is why I came back. This is what we have been talking about for the four years I have been here and for it to just finally all come true was really cool."
It was almost not so cool.
As soon as the runners crossed the finish line, they started to celebrate. They thought they won by a comfortable margin and their excitement showed as soon as they finished.
"We thought we won by quite a bit," Scull said. "We were jumping around and yelling. Then like half an hour later we found out we only won by six points, and we were thinking how stupid we would have looked if we didn't win."
Dupont was not physically ill - though he just completed the 8,000-meter race in a team-best 24:51 - he was just nervous. He didn't see any of his teammates in the immediate distance.
Then, a wave of Orange appeared, as six SU runners all finished within a 23 second span.
"They just all came in at once," Dupont said. "We have a really tight pack and with cross country, you have to be deep. The fact that we are so deep and we were able to put eight guys in front of Georgetown's fourth like that is ridiculous."
Dupont and the "pack" of Syracuse runners captured the program's first Big East Championship on Saturday, as they finished six points ahead of defending national champion, Georgetown. Though some squads struggled to get more than three of their runners in the top 20, the Orange had seven top 20 performers.
It is this depth that has propelled the SU men's cross country team to new levels this year. In addition to the team's first conference championship, the men are ranked No. 11 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll. The Orange next turns its attention to the NCAA Northeast Regional meet on Nov. 14 in Boston, which leads into the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind., on Nov. 23.
The women's squad finished third Saturday in the Big East meet.
"It was the best cross country day we have ever had," said Jeff Scull, who returned to the program as a graduate student this year. "This is why I came back. This is what we have been talking about for the four years I have been here and for it to just finally all come true was really cool."
It was almost not so cool.
As soon as the runners crossed the finish line, they started to celebrate. They thought they won by a comfortable margin and their excitement showed as soon as they finished.
"We thought we won by quite a bit," Scull said. "We were jumping around and yelling. Then like half an hour later we found out we only won by six points, and we were thinking how stupid we would have looked if we didn't win."
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