Oct. 20, 2009
Center Valley, Pa. -- The Navy men's cross country team picked up a big win over Army last week, led by the first-place finish of junior Andrew Hanko, who was named the Patriot League Male Runner of the Week for the fourth time Tuesday.
Hanko was joined by Colgate's Elise DeRoo, who claimed her second Female Runner of the Week award after setting a new school record at the Albany Invite.
Navy freshman Dean Black was selected as the Male Rookie of the Week and Army's Jillian Busby earned her third Female Rookie of the Week.
Bucknell and Holy Cross will race in separate invitationals this weekend, while the rest of the League will prepare for the Patriot League Championship on Oct. 31 at Colgate. The men's race is set for 11 a.m., while the women will race at noon.
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Male Runner of the Week
Andrew Hanko, Navy Jr., Montville, N.J. Hanko placed first at the annual Star Meet, besting 23 other runners in a Navy 19-41 win over Army. Hanko took the top spot with a time of 25:20.9. This is his fourth Patriot League Runner of the Week award this season.
Female Runner of the Week
Elise DeRoo, Colgate So., Newton, Conn. DeRoo took the top spot at the Albany Invitational, leading Colgate to a fifth-place finish. Her time of 17:28.7 in the 5k was a personal-best and a school record. DeRoo has won two events this season and finished 15th at the competitive Paul Short Run. DeRoo has been named the Female Runner of the Week twice.
Male Rookie of the Week
Dean Black, Navy Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo. Black placed seventh out of 24 runners at the annual Star Meet, helping Navy run to a 19-41 win over Army Friday. He finished the race in a time of 25:45.6. This is the second time Black has been named the Patriot League Male Rookie of the Week.
Female Rookie of the Week
Jillian Busby, Army Fr., Merrimack, N.H. Busby finished second at the annual Star Meet, helping the Army women's team to a 24-34 win over Navy Friday. Busby finished the race in a time of 21:45.6. She was the top scorer in Army's four prior meets. This is Busby's third Female Rookie of the Week award.
Honorable Mention Performances Last Week
Courtney Clement, Army Jr., Allen, Texas Clement took first at the annual Star Meet, helping the Black Knights defeat Navy 24-34 Friday. Clement finished in a time of 21:37.6.
Zac Reiter, Army Sr., Rock Springs, Wyo. Reiter finished fourth at the annual Star Meet with a time of 25:40.9.
Andrew Huebner, Bucknell Sr., Hampton Falls, N.H. Huebner placed eighth at the Penn State Invitational with a time of 25:29.
Patriot League Notebook
Regional Rankings
The Week 4 men's and women's regional polls were released Oct. 19 with six Patriot League teams cracking the top 15 in their respective regions. The Navy men earned the highest ranking as they are fourth in Mid-Atlantic Region. Bucknell is seventh and American is eighth. In the Northeast Region, the Army men are 12th. On the women's side, Bucknell is seventh and Navy is 10th in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Buzzing Fast New `Bees'
Watch out for Busby, Byrne and Barry. Army's Jillian Busby and Navy's Brigid Byrne and Annie Barry have posted the top freshmen performances of the season, thus far. Busby was named the Female Rookie of the Week for the third time this season after her runner-up finish at the annual Star Meet Friday. She also had a good showing at the Paul Short Run, placing 78th out of 363 runners in the highly competitive race. Byrne, who won consecutive Rookie of the Week awards in the first two weeks of the season, placed 83rd at the Paul Short Run. Barry was the Rookie of the Week in between Byrne and Busby, placing 18th at the Colgate Invite. She also earned the Runner of the Week award two weeks after placing 11th at the William & Mary Inter-Regional.
Hanko Vying For Title
Navy's Andrew Hanko, the runner-up in last season's League Championship, has won four of seven Runner of the Week awards, including three of the last four. Hanko's top finish of the season was when he placed first at the Navy Invitational on Sept. 15 and first at the Star Meet on Friday. He also led Navy at the Roy Griak Invite (22nd) and at the Paul Short Run (13th). In 2008, Hanko earned All-Mid-Atlantic Region and First-Team All-Patriot League honors. He was the 2007 Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
Navy Sweeps Preseason Polls
The Navy men's and women's cross country teams have been selected to finish first in their respective 2009 Patriot League Preseason Polls. Both squads are the reigning Patriot League Champions. The Navy women's squad, which won the title outright last season, earned 97 points in the preseason poll, including 13 first-place votes. Bucknell garnered the other three first-place votes and 87 points to finish second in the poll. Lehigh was picked to finish third with 67 points, followed by Army (58) and Colgate (41). Holy Cross (40), American (38) and Lafayette (18) round out the eight teams in the poll. On the men's side, Navy took the top spot with 95 points and 11 first-place votes. Army picked up the other five first-place votes and 89 points to finish second. American (69), Lehigh (61) and Bucknell (55) followed in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively. Holy Cross and Colgate tied for sixth with 31 points, while Lafayette was picked eighth with 15 points.
2009 Patriot League Championships
The 2009 Patriot League Cross Country Championships will take place on Oct. 31 at Colgate University. The top 14 finishers in both the men and women's race will be awarded All-Patriot League status, with the top-seven being named to the First-Team and the next seven earning Second-Team recognition.
Team Notebooks
American The Eagles' men's team finished seventh at the University of Virginia Panorama Farms Invitational on Friday, while the women's team placed fifth at the Blue and Gold Invitational in Newark, Del. On the men's team, junior Colin Eustis led the Eagles, placing 20th (24:20.03). Sophomore Octavia Rinehardt, who was the lone women's team member at the UVA Panorama Farms Invite, placed 19th (21:45.11). Greta Wicklund led the women at the Blue and Gold Invite Saturday, placing 10th (19:33.58). American is idle this week and will return to action at Colgate on Oct. 31 for the Patriot League Championships.
Army The Black Knights went 1-1 against Navy in their annual Star Meet, as the women picked up a 24-34 win and the men lost 19-41. Junior Courtney Clement and freshman Jillian Busby led the Black Knights, taking the top two spots in the race. Clement was first, finishing the 6k course in 21:37.6, while Busby, who has four first-place finishes in her first year, was second (21:45.6). The men were led by Zac Reiter, who placed fourth out of 24 runners with a time of 25:40.9 in the 8k race. Army will be idle this week in preparation for the Patriot League Championships on Oct. 31 at Colgate.
Bucknell The Bison competed at the Penn State Invitational (which was moved to Lock Haven because of a snow storm) with the men finishing fifth out of 11 teams and the women placing seventh out of 18. Andrew Huebner led the men's team, placing eighth with a time of 25:29. Sarah Moniz led the women, finishing 29th with a time of 21:50. Bucknell will travel to the Bloomsburg Invitational on Saturday.
Colgate The Raiders competed at the Albany Invitational with sophomore runner Elise DeRoo setting yet another school record with her first-place time of 17:28.7. It was the second time DeRoo has claimed first in a race this season. Her finish helped Colgate place fifth out of 24 teams. On the men's side, Ed Sherridan posted the top team finish, placing 33rd (25:48.3) and helping the team finish eighth out of 24 teams. The Raiders are idle this week and will compete again when they host the Patriot League Championships on Oct. 31.
Holy Cross The Crusaders were idle this week and will return on Saturday at the Central Connecticut Mini-Meet. In its latest event, Holy Cross competed at the New England Championship in Boston on Saturday with the women finishing 18th out of 49 teams and the men placing 25th out of 47. Paige Sutherland led the Crusaders, placing sixth overall on the women's side with a time of 18:12. Tim Richard led the men's side with his 62nd-place finish (25:50).
Lafayette The Leopards hosted the Leopard Invitational Saturday with the women's team taking first and the men's team finishing seventh. Sarah Welsh-Huggins led Lafayette, placing fifth (21:57.8). Ryan Stasiowski finished 20th for the men's team (26:51.8). The Leopards will be idle this week and will return to the course when they travel to Colgate for the Patriot League Championships on Oct. 31.
Lehigh The Mountain Hawks competed at the Leopard Invitational Saturday with the men finishing second and the women placing fourth. The Lehigh men were led by Douglas Ridyard, who placed fifth with a time of 26:24.8. Katherine Pierce led the women, finishing second with a time of 21:54.3. Lehigh will be idle this week in preparation for the Patriot League Championships on Oct. 31 at Colgate.
Navy The Midshipmen went 1-1 at the annual Star Meet, with the men winning 19-41 and the women losing 24-34. Andrew Hanko led a trio of Midshipmen who swept the top three spots. Hanko took first with a time of 25:20.9. In the women's race, Katie Rentz placed third (21:51.5). Navy is idle this week and will return to the course when it travels to Colgate on Oct. 31 for the Patriot League Championships.
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