As part of the MAAC Gives Back and The Rider Athletics Partners in a Caring Community Program, Rider Athletics and eight of the varsity teams assisted the Rider University's Center for Multicultural Affairs and Community Service by donating food during the 2006 annual drive.

Hey, you want to go get something to eat?  One of the most common phrases on any college campus and at Rider University.  Yet far too often, we don’t stop and think about those who don’t have a place to get something to eat or the means to buy a hot meal on a cold winter night.

The Rider University cross country season came to an end Saturday at the 2006 NCAA Division I Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, hosted by Bucknell University at Lock Haven University. “The women did a great job today,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer. “We improved over last year (26th) and we beat a lot of teams. The men struggled today but sometimes that’s what happens.”

Both the Rider University men and women placed fifth of 10 teams at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships, held at Van Cortlandt State Park. “For the men, that was our best overall performance, man-to-man, that we had all year,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer. “We ran with a lot of heart and passion. The women got out great early on in the first 1,000 meters or so, but Marist and Manhattan got away from us.”

The Broncs competed at the Leopard Invitational Saturday, hosted by Lafayette. “The women ran real well today,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer. “They executed the race plan pretty much to perfection. They really did a great job. The men got out well but we didn’t run the middle of the race as well as I would have liked.  The conditions were perfect for cross country. A little crisp and no wind.  You couldn’t have ordered a better day.”

The Rider men and women both placed 14th at the 17-team Penn State National Cross Country Meet Saturday, a meet that included Syracuse, Oklahoma, Guelph, Cornell and West Virginia. “If we run consistently with this kind of effort we’re going to be rewarded when we get to the conference meet,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer.

The Broncs competed in the 33rd annual Brooks Paul Short Run on Friday, hosted by Lehigh University. “The women ran great, but the guys just never got going today,” said Rider coach Bob Hamer.

Rob Pasquariello has been named Head Coach of the Rider University men’s and women’s track & field and cross country teams, and Bob Hamer has been named the Assistant Coach of the track & field and cross country teams, Rider Director of Athletics Don Harnum announced.

The Broncs began the 2006 cross country season in the Bronx, competing at the Fordham Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park, with the men placing sixth of 19 teams and the women finishing seventh of 18 teams.