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Cavaliers to Compete at NCAA Regionals
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Nov. 10, 2005
The ACC champion Virginia men’s cross country team will look to punch their ticket to the NCAA meet at the NCAA Southeast Regional on Saturday, Nov. 12. The men’s 10K and the women’s 6K races will be held in Greenville, NC and hosted by East Carolina University. The Cavaliers, who won their first conference championship since 1984 and have been ranked in the top-20 in the nation for the past month, have run in a disciplined, tight pack all season long and have used that to put themselves in a great position to make the national meet for the second time in three years. The Cavaliers are currently ranked 19th in the nation and are ranked second among teams competing in the Southeast Regional.
Leading the way for Virginia is rookie Jan Foerster, who is in his first year as a Cavalier harrier. Foerster has been the first runner for the Cavaliers in both of his meets, but he is complimented by a close-knit group of teammates that is not far behind. At the ACC Championships, all eight runners finished within one minute of each other, a testament to the depth and discipline of the Cavalier men. Right behind Foerster is NCAA qualifier Soeren Linder, who earned All-Regional honors in 2004 en route to his race at the national championships. Ryan Foster also earned All-Regional honors in 2004 and used that as a springboard to a solid track season in 2005. Joining this trio is ACC Freshman of the Year Andy Biladeau, who earned All-ACC honors in his rookie season. Andrew Dumm was Virginia’s second runner at ACC’s, taking fifth place just .5 seconds behind Foerster. NCAA qualifier and school record holder Alex Tatu and Jeff Eggleston compliment the depth of these five, giving the Cavaliers a solid seven.
“Our men have been racing like they have been training all season long,” said head coach Jason Dunn, who was named the ACC Men’s Coach of the Year in 2005. “They are disciplined and as such, they have had success with that approach.”
The women’s team will rely on a pair of All-Regional veterans to carry an injury-beset squad back to the national meet. Emily Harrison, who earned All-Regional honors en route to an NCAA invitation in 2004, is joined by Kara Scanlin, who also has earned All-Regional honors, up front in the Cavalier lineup. These two will be joined by first-year Lauretta Dezubay along with veterans Jen Dolson, Laura Hodges and Katie Read. All four ran at the ACC Championships in October, giving them solid racing experience. Virginia welcomes back to the lineup Jen Beury, which adds consistent depth to the Hoos’ top seven. The Cavaliers, who have been ranked in the top-20 this season, have lost some ground as injuries have taken their toll on a young squad. The women are ranked sixth among teams competing at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
The NCAA Southeast Regional will be competed on Overton’s Lake Kristi course. The men’s race will start at 11:00 while the women will follow at 12:15.
The NCAA Championships will be held on November 21 on the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash ValleyFamily Sports Center in Terre Haute, Indiana.