October 26, 2007 - 3rd of 10 at MAAC Championships / Smith All-MAAC Honors
October 26, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
College Cross Country
Rider Men 3rd, Women 7th at MAAC Championships
RIVERDALE, NY—The Rider men placed third and the women seventh at the 2007 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships, held Friday at Van Cortlandt Park in Riverdale, NY. “I thought the men’s team ran great,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer. “We really stepped up and ran to our potential. The guys executed the race-plan really well. The men did well up and down the board.”
For the Rider women, junior Kelly Wojciehowski (Fair Haven/Rumson Fair Haven) placed first for the Broncs, 13th overall, covering the 6k race in 23:26.2 to earn All-MAAC honors. The top 15 finishers earn All-MAAC honors. “Getting All-MAAC was one of my goals this year,” Wojciehowski said.
“Kelly ran a fantastic race,” Hamer said. “She executed the race plan perfectly. She was aggressive in the beginning, ran well through the middle part of the race and set herself up for the last 1,000 meters where she really went after it and had a nice time.”
Last year Wojciehowski was 20th among the 121 runners, finishing in a time of 23:41.4. “Hopefully this will be a springboard for her for bigger and better things,” Hamer said.
“My first mile was a little bit slower than usual, so I felt a little more comfortable in the middle of the race,” Wojciehowski said. “I really wanted to run under 23:30.”
For the Rider men, senior John Smith (Cliffwood Beach/Matawan) placed first for the Broncs, 14th overall, covering the 8k course in 26:07.8. It marked the third time Smith earned All-MAAC honors. “Getting All-MAAC was one of my goals, but my main focus today was helping out my team,” Smith said. “We’ve been working on our grouping and we were able to group together today.”
Also for the Rider men, freshman Christian Gonzalez (Somerset/Franklin Twp.) placed 16th in 26:14.4 and junior Matt Dahl (West Keansburg/Raritan) was 18th in 26:42.3. “Chris Gonzalez ran a great race today, “ Hamer said, “and Matt ran well. We passed Manhattan and Loyola in the last 800 meters, and that was important, moving from fifth place to third place.”
Last year both the Rider men and women placed fifth.
“I ‘PR’ed’ by about 15 seconds,” Smith said. “I felt really good throughout the race. It went very well.” “Smith ran great,” Hamer said. “He got himself in good position early on.”
Senior Jeff Stead (Fairless Hills, PA/Pennsbury) placed 25th (27:08.1) and freshman Christopher Reale (Princeton Junction/West Windsor Plainsboro South) was 30th (27:17.1). “Jeff passed a few guys down the stretch,” Hamer said. “Chris really stepped up to be our fifth guy. We needed a strong fifth man and he came on strong today and did a good job.”
Also for the Rider women, sophomore Kelsey Kohler (Southampton, PA/Saint Basil’s Academy) was 27th (24:28.4), junior Megan Crowe (Philadelphia, PA/St. Hubert’s) was 37th (24:59.6), sophomore Lauren Lester (Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen) was 40th (25:08.5) and freshman Chelsea Callan (Hazlet/Raritan) was 42nd (25:12.0).
Named to the MAAC All-Academic women’s cross country teams were Wojciehowski (3.248 grade point average as a Business major), Crowe (3.247 grade point average as a Secondary Ed./History major), and junior Patrice Mahoney (Staten Island, NY/Port Richmond) with a 3.405 g.p.a. as a Marketing/Advertising major.
Named to the MAAC All-Academic men’s cross country teams were Smith (3.416 g. p. a as a Secondary Ed./History major), Stead (3.720 g.p.a. as a Business Economics/Finance major), sophomore Phillip Capaldi (Woxall, PA/Souderton) with a 3.2 g.p.a. as a Business Econmics major and senior Ryan Donohue (Freehold/Freehold Twp.) with a 3.279 as a Finance/Business major.
On the men’s side, the Iona College Gaels, currently ranked fourth in the nation, won their 17th consecutive MAAC title and 21st overall. The Iona women’s team earned their third straight MAAC Championship.
The Broncs compete November 10 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional, hosted by Lehigh University.
-RU-
