Swarthmore To Cross State for NCAA Regionals
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- The Swarthmore cross-country teams travel to Waynesburg, Pa. this Saturday, competing in the NCAA Division III Mid-East Regional meet, led by three All-Region performers.
The Swarthmore women, recently ranked 34th in Division III, are aimed at improving on a sixth place finish at last year’s Mid-East Regional meet. Earlier this season the women won the annual Seven Sisters Championship at Smith College, led by two-time All-Region selection Nyika Corbett ‘10 (Myrtle Point, Ore. / Myrtle Point) with a second place finish; the team had three runners in the top-ten finishers. At last year’s regional meet, Corbett posted a personal-best 22:58 race-time and as a freshman made the NCAA Division III national meet. Freshman Melissa Frick (Swarthmore, Pa. / Strath Haven) has made her presence known on the trails as the top finisher for the Garnet in three races this season. Along with Frick, sophomore Rebecca Woo (Davis, Calif. / Davis Senior) will be competing in her first regional meet. Seniors Kathy Feeney (Staatsburg, N.Y. / FDR) and Bess Ritter (Quaker Hill, Conn. / Waterford) will provide experience for the Garnet as they have competed in the meet before, both posting season-bests in 2007. At her best race, senior Emma Stanley (Fogelsville, Pa. / Parkland), a two-time All-Region selection, last season at the 2007 meet crossed the line at 23:03. Senior alternate Faith Pampel (Little Silver, N.J. / Red Bank Regional) has continued to push her limits in practice this week in case she is called in to race on Saturday; on Oct. 3rd she ran a personal-best at the Paul Short Invite.
The Garnet men look to improve on their eighth-place finish from last season. They will be led by sophomore Patrick Hartnett (Syracuse, N.Y. / Westhill), the team’s top finisher for the Garnet in four races this season. At last year’s regional meet, Hartnett posted his personal-best clocking in at 26:53. Senior Dan Hodson (Trumbull, Conn. / Fairfield Prep) and sophomore Alex Frye (Bourbonnais, Ill. / Bishop McNamara) will be competing in their second regional meet. In 2007, the pair crossed the line at 27:02 and 27:35, respectively, personal-best times. After running a season-best at the Centennial Conference Championships two weeks ago, junior Jonnie Tompkins (Swarthmore, Pa. / Strath Haven) has trained for the past two weeks to improve on his time. Senior Connor Darby (Nashville, Tenn. / MLK Academic Magnet) and junior David Riccardi (Syracuse, N.Y. / Westhill) are competing in their first regional meet this weekend and hope to contribute positive points to the Garnet. Seasoned veteran senior Erik Saka (Quincy, Ill. / Quincy) has competed in the regional meet since his freshman year, earned All-Region status in 2006 and last season’s 26:08 meet time earned him a personal-best. Freshman alternate Charlie Huntington (Winchester, Mass. / Winchester) had a solid first-year season and will be ready at the drop of a hat if he is called to step in for the Garnet.
Click here for complete information and results of the 2008 NCAA Mid-East Regional meet.