The Daily OrangeSU women's cross country revel in role as Regional favorites
By Rachel Stern
Posted: 11/12/09, 8:19 PM EST Section: Sports
When the Syracuse cross country bus arrives in Boston on Saturday to compete in the NCAA Northeast Regional, junior runner Rebekah MacKay will feel right at home.
MacKay, a native of Whitinsville, Mass., ran on the regional course as a high school standout at Whitinsville Christian. Hosted by Boston University, the meet will take place at Franklin Park, a site MacKay is more than comfortable with.
"We raced there in high school, and it is really my home turf," MacKay said. "It definitely adds extra excitement for me. Usually, my dad will be at one meet and my mom at another, but this weekend everyone will be there. It will be extra fun."
The terrain, however, is about all that will feel familiar.
The SU women enter Regionals as the favorites. Ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 10 in the country by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Orange has earned the right to head into the weekend as the squad to beat.
Last year, SU had to finish first or second at Regionals in order to make Nationals. It finished second and headed to Terre Haute, Ind., for the first time in program history.
However, the 2009 season has been a season of firsts for the team. On Sept. 25, the team was ranked No. 23 in the nation, a program best for the Orange. After finishing second against the nation's top teams at the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational and capturing fourth place at Pre-Nationals, the women jumped to No. 10 in the polls.
They are ranked the highest they have ever been and now head into Regionals with much less at stake.
"For us, with the season we have been having, we could not do as well as we want and still go to Nationals," senior runner, Maegan Krifchin said. "It is pretty much a given that we are going to go to Nationals, whereas last year, nothing was definite."
Krifchin has seen signs of the team's new reputation ever since the meet at Wisconsin. Now, she said, the "track world" is not surprised by Syracuse and expects it to perform well.
MacKay, a native of Whitinsville, Mass., ran on the regional course as a high school standout at Whitinsville Christian. Hosted by Boston University, the meet will take place at Franklin Park, a site MacKay is more than comfortable with.
"We raced there in high school, and it is really my home turf," MacKay said. "It definitely adds extra excitement for me. Usually, my dad will be at one meet and my mom at another, but this weekend everyone will be there. It will be extra fun."
The terrain, however, is about all that will feel familiar.
The SU women enter Regionals as the favorites. Ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 10 in the country by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, the Orange has earned the right to head into the weekend as the squad to beat.
Last year, SU had to finish first or second at Regionals in order to make Nationals. It finished second and headed to Terre Haute, Ind., for the first time in program history.
However, the 2009 season has been a season of firsts for the team. On Sept. 25, the team was ranked No. 23 in the nation, a program best for the Orange. After finishing second against the nation's top teams at the Wisconsin Adidas Invitational and capturing fourth place at Pre-Nationals, the women jumped to No. 10 in the polls.
They are ranked the highest they have ever been and now head into Regionals with much less at stake.
"For us, with the season we have been having, we could not do as well as we want and still go to Nationals," senior runner, Maegan Krifchin said. "It is pretty much a given that we are going to go to Nationals, whereas last year, nothing was definite."
Krifchin has seen signs of the team's new reputation ever since the meet at Wisconsin. Now, she said, the "track world" is not surprised by Syracuse and expects it to perform well.
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