University of Connecticut Athletics
Men's Cross Country Opens Season Saturday at UMass Invitational
9/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
STORRS, Conn. (September 13, 2007) - Expecting significant improvements from several top distance and mid-distance runners, the 2007 University of Connecticut Men's Cross Country team opens its season this Saturday at the UMass Invitational in Amherst, Mass. The race begins at 11:45 a.m., and in addition to the host Minutemen, the Huskies will also be competing against Colgate, Maine and Vermont.
"I'm looking for this team to be an example of great leadership and competitiveness," commented Assistant Coach Rich Miller. "Our goal is to be the best that we can be."
Miller, who coaches the Cross Country team and assists head coach Greg Roy with distance and mid-distance runners during track season, will be looking for someone to step up and fill the shoes of 2007 graduate Max Feldman. Feldman led the team in all races in 2006 and qualified for the NCAA National Cross Country Championships with an eighth place finish in the NCAA Regional Championships in New York City.
"Max had a tremendous season last year," said Miller. "We will miss his presence up front and his leadership. But it's a new year and we are looking for someone else to step and up and take the lead. He was able to carry the team last year."
Two of the runners looking to fill Feldman's role as lead runners are senior Will Melofchik (Wayside, N.J.) and sophomore Will Sanders (Wethersfield, Conn.). Melofchik, a distance runner. finished seventh in the New England Championships last year. Competing in the steeplechase during the track season, Sanders top placing during the 2006 Cross Country season was a third place showing at the Ted Owens Invitational.
"Will Melofchik is our senior captain," commented Miller. "We are looking for veteran leadership. He will probably be the top finisher on our team. However, Will Sanders could also compete for that top spot as well. We are looking for some big things out of him."
Miller will be depending on several mid-distance runners to fill out his team. They include senior Steve Iannaccone (Toms River, N.J.), sophomore Michael Rutt (Sinking Springs, Pa.), sophomore Andrew Smith (Sudbury, Mass.) and freshman Scott Johnson (Old Lyme, Conn.).
"We have several mid-distance runners who have a lot to accomplish this season. If they make improvements it will strengthen us for the indoor and outdoor track seasons." stated Miller. "I expect Iannaccone, who runs the 800 meter during the season, to be a leader on the team and to be the leader of the middle distance runners on the Cross Country team."
The team will be filled out by senior Colin Meyers (West Senica, N.Y.), a steeplechase competitor and Cross Country veteran whom Miller expects to be among top five finishers this year, as well as two walk-ons, senior David McKay (Marlborough, Conn.) and freshman Jared Moriarty (Guilderland, N.Y.), both of whom have the chance to contribute after making the team in tryouts in the preseason.
UConn once again has a challenging schedule ahead of it as they compete in several competitive races throughout the northeast. After the UMass Invitational, they will compete in the Connecticut College Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 22 in Waterford, Conn. That will help prepare them for the prestigious New England Championships to be held this year in Franklin Park in Boston, Mass. on Oct. 6.
The BIG EAST Championships this year will be hosted by Louisville on Oct. 27. The Huskies will compete in the Northeast Regional on Nov. 10, which will also be held in Franklin Park in Boston Mass. If any Connecticut runners qualify for the National Championship race, it will be held on Nov. 27 in Terre Haute, Ind.
"The big picture is that all of the competition seasons are connected. Cross Country leads into the indoor season, which leads into the outdoor season," said Miller. "What I want to see is who is willing to step up and be the leader and competitor that they can be."
