Sea Gulls anxious to defend in 2009
Salisbury, Md. - Coach Jim Jones and his Sea Gulls are anxious to get into the full swing of the 2009 Salisbury University Cross Country season, coming off a successful year in 2008. Each year the men's and women's programs compete closely for a Capital Athletic Conference Championship, and after last year each team will be defending a title in 2009. Last season's dual success in both programs marks the third time Salisbury has taken both men's and women's CAC titles in the same year.
In the NCAA Mideast Regional the men's team earned 11th place and the women's team took 17th place. Salisbury will be led by veterans in both programs, along with young talent expected to help the Sea Gulls reach their season goals. In addition to conference championships, Jones would like to see his teams qualify for the NCAA national championships.
MEN'S TEAM
In 2008 the Salisbury men's cross country team had continued success as it collected its fourth consecutive and eighth overall CAC title since 1994 and claimed five first-team All-CAC honors. In the CAC Championship, SU was paced by Senior Zach Dickerson (Elkridge Md.), two-time CAC Cross Country Athlete of the week. Following the Championship Jones said that "Zach has been the leader all year. He made sure the team understood what this championship meant to him and the program."
Jones is looking for veteran leadership from senior Travis Boccher (Columbia Md.) in 2009, as he comes off of a successful season in 2008. Boccher was named to the Division III Cross Country All-Academic team by the USTFCCCA, an award only two runners from the CAC achieved. Travis maintained a 3.5 grade-point average and finished in the top 25 percent of the field at the NCAA Regional meet. Boccher's hard work "filters down to the other guys," said Jones. Also returning for the 2009 season is junior Chris Barnard (Olney Md.), the sixth-place finisher in the 2008 CAC Championship. In the NCAA Mideast Regional, Barnard finished 77th. The healthy return of senior Carl Bickle (Woolwich Twp., N.J.), is also expected by Jones.
Sophomores John Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.) and Trevor Keen (Crownsville, Md.) will look to compete for a top-seven spot on the team this year. Fitzgerald earned All-CAC second team honors as well as 15th place in the CAC Championships in 2008.
"It's the hard work in the offseason that will make or break us," Jones said "Thus far, I am pleased with what I see, so we are in good shape for this season."
WOMEN'S TEAM
The women's program was able to earn four first-team All-CAC honors and win the title back after taking second place in 2007. The Women's Cross Country team fared well in the CAC Championships, as they were paced by sophomore Kristen Stromberg (Hampstead, Md.), who finished the 6K race in second place.
Salisbury will be a relatively young team in 2009 with a key trio of juniors including Megan Blue (Toms River N.J.), Masha Berge (Potomac, Md.) and Stromberg.
Also returning this year is sophomore Emily Powell (Mt. Airy, Md.), who finished fourth for the Gulls at the Mideast Regional, "(Powell) is expected to take a leadership role this season", Jones said. Salisbury will have three sophomores this season, with Becca Stinner (Darnestown, Md.), Anna Steinman (Piscataway, N.J.), and Powell.
"I'm looking for the maturity of our young runners to grow as they take leadership roles early on," Jones said heading into 2009.
Jones believes that this year's great freshman recruiting class will allow a young women's program to compete well in the 2009 season.
SCHEDULE
In Jones' reign he has seen some tough schedules, and this
season is no different. The schedule includes races against
Division III and Division I programs.
Salisbury begins the season at home with the Sea Gull Opener Sept. 6 at Winter Place Park, the home course for the maroon and gold. Last year, the Sea Gulls finished first in both men's and women's races. SU will then head to Hunt Valley, Md., and participate in the Towson Invitational on Sept. 12. After a week off the Sea Gulls host the Don Cathcart Invitational on September 26 at Winter Place Park. Last season, SU finished second in the men's race and fourth in the women's race.
On Nov. 7, the Capital Athletic Conference will hold its Championship at Hood College in Walkersville, Md., where SU will defend its titles.
Following the CAC Championships will be the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships held in Bethlehem, Pa. on November 14. The top two teams in each region qualify automatically for nationals but if the team places in the third through fifth they could receive an at large bid for the championships.
Jones will once again take the helm of four separate varsity programs at SU, as the coach of men's and women's track and field as Kevin Lucas left to coach for Mount Union College. Jones was the coach of track and field and cross country from 1999 until 2008 and served as an assistant coach when Coach Lucas took over the track and field for a single season in 2009.
"[Lucas] did a great service in the year he was with us, but being here this year, we will just pick up where we left off," said Jones. "Not much will change; we will continue our success in all four varsity sports that we have had over the last ten years that I have been here at Salisbury University."
