North Carolina State University Athletics
Cross Country To Wrap Up Season At Nationals
11/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
RALEIGH, N.C. - Monday marks the end of the college cross country season for 2009. For the NC State men’s team, Monday’s NCAA Championships at Terre Haute, Ind., marks a shot at achieving all three of the team’s goals for the ‘09 season.
Coming off the 2009 ACC championship and a second-place at the NCAA Southeast Regional to qualify for nationals, the Wolfpack men need a top 10 finish to complete the trifecta of its annual goals. Ranked 18th in the nation coming out the regionals, a top 10 finish is feasible but won’t be easy.
“We set our goals high because we have high standards for this program and we expect a lot from our athletes,” men’s coach Rollie Geiger said. “No doubt we’ll have to run very well as a group to finish in the top 10. But we’re capable of that kind of race.”
Geiger’s squad has gotten excellent leadership all season from senior John Martinez, the team’s only upperclassman, and sohomore Ryan Hill, both of whom are legitimate All-America candidates (top 40 at the NCAA race). In the ACC Championships and NCAA Southeast Regional, several other Wolfpack runners stepped up to close the gap between themselves and Hill and Martinez at the front of the pack.
In particular, redshirt-freshman Patrick Campbell made the All-ACC team (top 14 finish) and all-regional team (top 25), and sophomore Bobby Moldovan made the all-regional team. Sophomores Andrew North, Greg Dame and Geoff King rounded out the Wolfpack’s second-place unit at the regional.
The NC State women’s team did not qualify for the NCAA meet, but senior Brittany Tinsley and sophomore Emily Pritt earned individual at-large bids with top 10 finishes at the NCAA regional. Both are capable of challenging for a top 40 finish and All-America honors.
