Season Preview: Salisbury cross country ready to defend and redeem

SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University men's and women's cross country programs have been built up by Coach Jim Jones over the years to compete for a Capital Athletic Conference championship every year. The 2008 season is no exception as the SU men's team sets out to win a fourth straight conference title while the women's team seeks redemption after a second place finish in '07.

The Sea Gulls will be led by veterans on both teams along with new talent expected to help SU reach their respective goals this season. In addition to conference championships the Sea Gulls would like to see their teams qualify for the NCAA national championships.

MEN'S TEAM
For the third consecutive season the SU men's team took home the CAC title in ‘07. This marked the seventh overall championship in the history of the program since SU joined the conference in 1994. Last year, the team was paced by senior Eric Graves, as he was named the CAC Men's Runner of the Year and qualified for the NCAA national championship meet. Salisbury placed seven runners on the All-CAC teams, four runners on the first team and three on the second. The accolades continued with Jones who received his third consecutive CAC Men's Coach of the Year award (sixth overall).

Jones believes this season's squad is his "dream team" that he has always wanted to coach.

"Ten years ago we were just starting from scratch and now we are finally at the point where everything has come together," said Jones now in his 10th season at the helm. "We have the right people to accomplish that goal of qualifying for the NCAA meet as a team. I am very excited at what lies ahead."

The preseason has been above average for SU as the Sea Gull men ran their fastest two-mile trial that in over 10 years.

The team will be led by a trio of senior harriers in Zach Dickerson (Elkridge, Md.) and Ben Thomas (Laurel, Md.).

Dickerson, a 2008 first team All-CAC performer, placed fifth at the CAC championships with a time of 27:02. He posted a personal best time of 26:25 to help lead the Sea Gulls to a program best, sixth place finish at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional in ‘07. He also posted impressive finishes at the Division I heavy, Towson Invitational (19th place, 26:08) and the Sea Gull Opener (5th, 26:44).

Thomas is also coming off of a very successful junior campaign. He was named to the All-CAC second team as he finished 15th at the CAC championships with a time of 27:38 and was 37th overall (27:05) at the Don Cathcart Invitational held at Winter Place Park.

Jones is also very high on junior and George Mason University transfer Travis Boccher (Columbia, Md.).  Boccher, who was originally recruited by Salisbury following a very successful career at Wilde Lake (Md.) High School, will be relied upon heavily to help lead the Sea Gulls this season. 

"Travis is that same guy and that same type of athlete that Graves was for us last year," said Jones. "He will step into that same kind of role and the type of guy that can be the leader in the front."

Chris Barnard (Olney, Md.), 2007 CAC Men's Rookie of the Year, will be returning for his sophomore season. He finished sixth at the 2007 CAC championships with a time of 27:02 which earned him All-CAC first team honors. Barnard also made an impressive showing at the Towson Invitational (30th, 28:51). He saved his best race for the end of the season, as he propelled the Sea Gulls in the regional meet with a personal best time of 26:11.

Senior Carl Blickle (Woolwich Twp., N.J.), who is coming off of an injury from last year, freshman Trevor Keen (Crownsville, Md.) and sophomore Sam Boimov (Montgomery Village, Md.) will look to complete the top seven runners for SU this fall. Boimov was named to the 2007 All-NCAA Mideast Region Freshman Team last season.

WOMEN'S TEAM
Until last season, Salisbury had won the CAC championship three years in a row before they were upended by a strong University of Mary Washington team. This season the Salisbury's women's team is ready to take the conference crown back once again.

"There is a lot of excitement for the women's team thus far," said Jones. "We have done the training that we need to do in order to contend for a championship again.  It is time to redeem ourselves and bring the conference title back."

Salisbury will have to make its run this year without 2007 All-CAC first team runner Kelly Sullivan who is not back this season due to injury. Sullivan was the top runner for the Sea Gulls each of the past two seasons. Jones believes Sullivan's absence will hurt he is optimistic at the opportunity that it brings the rest of the team together.

"There is a lot of spark and a lot of push towards who is going to claim that No. 1 spot," said Jones. "It brings a lot of challenge and excitement."

A pair of seniors, Jenn Bulger (Verona, N.J.) and Amy DeMichele (Mormora, N.J.) will return for the maroon and gold this fall. Each have been an integral part of the team the past three years and are being looked at to take a strong leadership role this fall.

Bulger, a decathlete for the Sea Gulls' track and field team, has appeared on the all-conference team the past two seasons. She was a first team selection in ‘06 and a second team selection in ‘07. She helped lead SU to a second place finish at the NYU Invitational with a time of 21:20. At the CAC championships she finished in 15th place with a time of 24:43.

DeMichele was also another valuable member of the women's second place finish at the CAC championships as she finished 10th overall with a time of 24:27 to earn All-CAC second team honors.

Sophomores Kristin Stromberg (Hampstead, Md.) and Masha Berge (Potomac, Md.) put together a very productive rookie seasons in ‘07. Stromberg claimed first team All-CAC honors with an eighth place finish and a time of 24:27 at the CAC championships. She also had outstanding showings in the Towson Invitational (29th, 20:46) and the Sea Gull Opener (16th, 24:25). Berge was a second team All-CAC performer with impressive results in the CAC championships (14th, 24:42) and Sea Gull Opener (23rd, 25:14).

The team will be also be paced by sophomore Megan Blue (Toms River, N.J.). Blue placed 20th at the CAC championships in 2007. Freshmen Emily Powell (Mt. Airy, Md.) and Becca Stinner (Darnestown, Md.) are also expected to contribute for the Sea Gulls this fall.

"We are looking for the women's team to stay in a pack," said Jones. "It's my belief that four or five of these women can be in the top-eight come time for the conference championships.  They are an exciting bunch."

SCHEDULE
Like many of the past seasons under the reign of Coach Jones the schedule for the Sea Gulls remains tough. The schedule includes many races against strong Division I and Division III programs.

Salisbury begins the season at home with the Sea Gull Opener this Saturday (September 6) at Winter Place Park, the home course for the maroon and gold. SU will then hit the road and travel to Waynesburg, Pa., and participate in the Waynesburg Invitational/Pre-NCAA Mideast Regional Meet on September 13. After a week off the Sea Gulls host the Don Cathcart Invitational on September 27 at Winter Place Park. Last season, SU finished third in the men's race and seventh in the women's race.

"This is a date where we want to test ourselves on where we are at," said Jones. "There will be at least three of four nationally ranked teams coming here including Mary Washington. It will give us a good idea of exactly where we are heading."

SU will hit the road for the month of October as the maroon and gold prepare to run in two races in the middle of the month in the state of Pennsylvania. The first invitational is hosted by DeSales University on October 11. There was close to 400 runners at this race last season. SU will then travel to Gettysburg, Pa., to run in the Gettysburg Invitational in the final tune-up before the CAC championships.

The conference championships will be hosted by Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., this year on November 1. The significance of the Eagles hosting bodes well for Salisbury's women's team who won the conference crown in 2004, the last year UMW hosted. That win began the three championship streak for the maroon and gold.

The rest of November is focused on the national scene as the Sea Gulls travel back to Waynesburg, Pa., for the NCAA Mideast Regional on November 15. The top four teams in each region qualify for nationals. Last season, SU's men's team finished sixth overall. This season Coach Jones believes they have what it takes to get the teams to the national championship meet.

The NCAA Division III national championship races will held at Hanover College in Hanover, Ind., on November 22.

"This is the season where it should all come together," said Jones. "We've created a team atmosphere where individual accolades are second to that of the team. When the team wins, the success will trickle down. The more the runners push each other the better the team will end up doing  It is like one big chain needing all links to make it complete.  Everyone has ownership to the victory."