2002 Season Recap

2002 Season Recap

Although each team started slow to begin the year, the Salisbury University men's and women's cross country teams picked up the pace to register yet another outstanding season. SU was lucky enough to host the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional at Winter Place Park, where the teams each finished within the top-20. SU head coach Jim Jones was recognized as the CAC and Mason-Dixon Conference Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

The Salisbury men opened their season on familiar turf with a sixth place finish in the Sea Gull opener before placing second in the UMES Lid Lifter two weeks later. The men finished in the top-10 of their next two meets before winning the Maryland State Championship, the Mason-DIxon Conference Championship, and the CAC Championship. SU's top finish at the conference meet gathered them a spot into the Mideast Regional, where the Sea Gulls finished 11th. The men finished the year with a 134-34 overall record (.798 winning percent).

SU was aided by the performances of senior Andy Marrocco, junior Steve Jacobs, sophomore Tristan Gilbert and freshman Will Murdoch. Marrocco was named as a first honoree of All-Maryland State (11th, 28:27) and the CAC (sixth, 27:20) while also claiming a second place distinction in the All-Mason-Dixon Conference (seventh, 27:15). Jacobs had SU's best finish (second, 26:59) at the Mason-Dixon Championships to take home first team honors while also claiming a 14th place (28:38) finish to be named to the second team of the All-Maryland State squad. His honors did not stop there as he was named to the All-CAC second team with a 13th place finish (28:04) at the conference meet. Gilbert was the top Sea Gull finisher at the CAC Championships where he finished in third place with a time of 27:01, which would land him on the All-CAC first team. Detweiler also claimed All-CAC first team recognition with a seventh place finish (27:22). Detweiler's top finish was at the Mason-Dixon Championships where he ran a 27:07 to finish in fourth and be named to the first team. Sophomore Brad Ellis was named to the second team of all three afore mentioned races.

The Sea Gulls women placed in the top-3 in only one of their first four meets before turning up the volume. Salisbury won the Division III Championship at the Maryland State Championships which gave them an overall fourth place finish among 11 teams. SU's next race was at the Maryland State Championships and the Sea Gulls would have another strong showing (third place). After placing in 17th at the 37 team Gettysburg Invitational, the maroon and gold responded with a fourth place finish at the CAC Championships. The fourth place showing gave them a spot into the Mideast Regional meet where they would ultimately finish 19th. The women finished the year with a 88-76 record (.537 winning percent).

Sophomore Kelsey Scheitlin led the charge for the Sea Gull women as she was named to the All-CAC second team with a 10th place finish in a time of 20:25 at the conference meet. The Linthicum, Md., product also placed seventh (24:04) at the Mason Dixon Championships to collect first team honors. SU also benefitted by the performance of junior Rebecca Lyons, who finished in 10th place at the Mason-Dixon Championships and was rewarded with a second team distinction. The women were among the national grade point average leaders being that the team finished the year with a 3.56 grade point average as one member finished with a perfect 4.0 and two others had GPA's of 3.9 or better.