Men's Cross Country
From the start of the season, the men's team has been plagued by injuries, with several top runners failing to compete in the opening meet. Nevertheless, the men have posted solid results throughout the season, placing sixth at both the UMass-Dartmouth and Tufts Invitationals and later at the NESCAC and ECAC Championships.
Senior co-captains Matt Katz and Dave Molina have led the team in most races this season. Tomas Morrissey '08 has been a dependable runner for the team and won the Rookie of the Year award at the NESCAC Championships. Furthermore, a dependable group of sophomores, including John Babbott, Nate Freese, Cooper Knowlton and Richard Wilson have come through for the team, providing depth particularly in the fourth through seventh spots for the team.
Amherst's season may end this weekend at Regionals unless the Jeffs can edge out the other competitive teams to make it in the top six in the Northeast to qualify for Nationals. "The men will be in a dog fight to return back to Nationals, where they made their first ever trip last year," said Head Coach Erik Nedeau.
The main obstacle to the men's success this season has been the chronic injuries of many team members. "As is the case with all sports, injuries can dramatically change the dynamics of a team," said Nedeau. "We have had several key runners hurt at various points during the season, and the injuries can be a tough thing to overcome both mentally and physically."
Despite the difficulties in staying healthy, the men have a lot to be proud of this season. Said Nedeau, "Despite the injuries, we have been having a great year and will certainly finish on a high note." Moreover, some of the men have a chance to qualify individually for spots at Nationals.
Women's Cross Country
All season long, the consistent top finishers for the Jeffs have been the All-American duo of co-captain Carter Hamill '05 and Shauneen Garrahan '07 with first-year Kim Partee never too far behind them. Juniors Ginger Polich and Margaret Davis have also turned in strong performances for most of the season, often placing fourth or fifth for the team. A strong group of first-years has added some necessary depth as well. Rookies Laura Mortimer, Heather Wilson, Katie Moravec and Vanessa Sochat have been top-seven runners for the team in several meets this season. Senior co-captain Ali Rodriguez has also had several good races for the team.
The women started the season out with high expectations as they easily swept the annual Amherst Invitational, the only home meet of the season. The women continued to be a formidable force, placing second at the UMass-Dartmouth Invitational and first at the Tufts Invitational.
Late in the season, however, the women have been unable to match up to the depth of perennial foes, Williams and Middlebury Colleges. Williams is currently first in the national Div. III polls and Middlebury is third, two spots ahead of Amherst.
"The women have a great shot of making the return trip to NCAAs and will be looking to improve upon last year's fifth-place finish," said Nedeau. The top five teams in the women's race at Regionals go on to Nationals.
Though Amherst will certainly miss Hamill next fall, a strong cast of supporters return to the trails and the outlook remains positive.
Both teams will compete at Regionals on Saturday in Twin Brook, Maine. If the Jeffs qualify, they will go to the NCAA Div. III National Championships at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire on Nov. 20.