2008 Penn State Behrend Cross Country Season Preview
2007 was a banner
year for men’s and women’s cross country as both teams captured the
AMCC titles with numerous Behrend Lions capturing league awards.
The men’s team returns six top finishers from last season’s squad
while the women will count on a core of five stellar sophomores
looking to make another big impact in 2008.
Head coach and 2007 men’s and women’s cross country Coach of the
Year Greg Cooper returns for his second season in charge of the
Behrend runners. Alongside him will be returning assistant coach
Dave Cooper. Greg Cooper said, “Both teams return a strong core of
runners from last season’s title teams and there are some first-year
runners who have the opportunity to step up and play key roles.
Combining some hard working and talented returners with a quality
group of new members has us excited about 2008.”
Five All-AMCC performers return on the men’s team, lead by 2007 AMCC
Runner of the Year Kevin Gorny (Erie/McDowell). The junior runner
helped the men capture last season’s title by taking over at the
AMCC championship meet and cruising to a first-place finish.
Classmate Andy Iams (Harrison City/Penn Trafford) was an
all-conference runner in 2007 and should again be a top competitor.
Cooper said, “Kevin and Andy are coming off strong track seasons,
and if they run well this fall and our pack stays close to them,
we’ll be in great shape in the conference and the region.”
Junior Rob Shrawder (New Wilmington/West Middlesex) returns and
joins Gorny and Iams as Behrend team captains. The blue and white
will look to All-AMCC team sophomores Steve Monnie (Rentrew/Butler),
Bob Cizek (Pittsburgh/Shaler), and Matt Alto (Uniontown,
OH/Archbishop Hoban), to provide experience after standout freshman
seasons. Joining those three will be sophomores Steel Flynn
(Butler/Butler) and Justin DiPenti (Russell/Warren) who are also
returning to the cross country program after producing for the
Behrend Lions track & field program.
Five freshmen look to make a mark in their first season at Behrend.
Alex Zarger (Erie/Harborcreek) and Carl Kallgren (Erie/McDowell)
should contribute early while Brian Ciak (Pittsburgh/North Hills),
Steve Gibbens (Erie/Seneca), and Matt DeLeon (Gambrills, MD/Arundel)
will provide a depth of quality runners to the roster. All five are
coming off successful high school seasons of competing at the state
meet.
The Penn State Behrend women’s cross country program looks to repeat
as AMCC champions with help from a strong sophomore class. Standout
Emily Berry (Reno/Rocky Grove) was the 2007 AMCC Newcomer of the
Year, while classmates Alex Falvo (Pittsburgh/North Allegheny), Liz
Keller (Bradford/Bradford), Mallory Souleret (Pittsburgh/Baldwin),
and Tanisha Wheatley (Saltsburg/Kiski) all played big roles on the
2007 championship squad. Berry, Falvo, Keller, and Souleret were
all named to the all-conference team a season ago, while Wheatley
comes into the fall off an all-conference selection in track and
field. The lone senior and team captain is Cassie Manelick
(Youngsville/Youngsville) who provides a veteran presence to the
team and returns to compete with her cross country teammates after
another impressive display during the track and field season.
Coach Cooper will also look to the freshman and first-time
participants to provide a boost to the program in 2008. Transfer
Jenna Fatica (Erie/Villa Maria) will compete in her first cross
country season and shows great potential after an outstanding high
school career. Mandy Wehrle (Rossiter/Punxsutawney) competes for
the first time after a record-breaking season with the track and
field team, as does Roxanne Alsbury (Kingston, MO/Cameron) who also
joins the team after a season with track and field. Freshmen Kennia
Adams (Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls), Lauren Pecor (Mars/Mars),
Courtney Smith (Tarrs/Southmoreland), and Kirsten Zinsser
(Gibsonia/Pine-Richland) will all look to contribute for the Behrend
Lions right away. Cooper said, “We have two or three new runners
who I believe can step in and make a difference right away. All of
them are hard working, and hopefully each will make an impact in
some meets this season.”
The team looks forward to the annual Behrend
Invitational which takes place September 13. The AMCC Championships
will be November 1 at Penn State Altoona, while the NCAA Regional is
November 15 at Waynesburg.