For most of the UR cross-country runners, it’s time to switch gears and look forward to the indoor track season.
However, one UR sophomore will be traveling to Rock Island for the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Championship this weekend.
Sophomore Erika Wasserstein continued her strong 2001 cross-country campaign by placing 14th at the NCAA Regional meet, which was held in Van Cortlandt Park in New York City.
In her two previous races, she placed in the top 10 and earned first-team New York State honors as well as first-team University Athletic Association honors.
“Erika attacked the course very well,” head coach Barbara Hartwig said. “She came to the race composed and focused and it worked out well.”
The next Yellowjacket runner to back up Wasserstein’s performance was senior Amanda Danforth, who placed 40th.
Junior Lisa Johns came in right behind Danforth in 42nd place.
“Placing in the top 50 in this race is considered outstanding. Both of these girls really stepped up,” Hartwig said.
Junior Madeline Wors-nopp, sophomores Mary Lebrun and Lisa Brassaw also had good performances as noted by Hartwig.
As a team, the Yellowjackets placed ninth out of 27 teams.
“Placing in the top ten will be a huge confidence builder for next year,” Hartwig said.
“I’m very proud of Erika, but I’m also very proud of the rest of team.”
Once again the men faced some tough competition, but according to head coach John Izzo, they accomplished what they wanted to get done.
“This is the kind of race that if you do well you move on, if you don’t do well you go home,” Izzo said. “So, we stayed with the pack for the first three miles and tried to attack for the last two, unfortunately we ended up fading a little bit.”
The team was led by senior Andy MacMillan who ran a time of 27:55 and placed 52 overall.
Sophomore Alex Voetsch was not far behind in 65th place and Junior Dave Messenheimer finished 69th. Junior P.J. Maglione earned himself a 83rd place finish and senior Jon Salerno was right behind him in 84th place.
The team finished with a mediocre 12th place out of 27 teams. “This meet was a prime example of what we experience all season, a different hero every weekend,” Izzo said. “That is definitely a good thing, unfortunately the injury and sickness bug hit us hard this season.”
With the exception of Wasserstein most of the cross-country runners will now readjust for the beginning of the indoor track season. Wasserstein will travel to Rock Island Il. And compete against approximately 250 runners in which the top 35 will be distinguished All-Americans.
