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Following his first season with the Cavaliers, head coach Jason Vigilante gives his thoughts on a 2008 cross country season that saw the men’s team win the ACC Championship and the women win the Southeast Region title. Vigilante earned coach of the year honors following both championships and looks forward to successful seasons with the track and field teams.
Question: Looking back on the cross country season, what accomplishments stand out the most to you right now?
Vigilante: Two things. Easily Ryan Foster becoming the first individual cross country champion (ACC) in school history as he led our team to the second-consecutive title. Secondly, our women’s team making outstanding improvements throughout the season to conclude with a regional championship and a 26th-place finish at NCAAs.
Question: Were the team and individual finishes where you expected them to be? Are you satisfied with how the season concluded?
Vigilante: Of course we are always looking at places where we could have been better, but I am very satisfied with the overall outcome.
Question: For those who were unable to attend, what was the atmosphere at NCAAs like? How did the team respond to the weather, the course, the fans?
Vigilante: The NCAA meet is always spirited, there are thousands of fans, loud cheers, colors, flags, music, it’s really a bit of a spectacle. The whole season is decided in less than 30 minutes. No other sport is similar and our team responded so well, especially considering we had a few who were sick.
Question: Ryan Foster had a great season for Virginia this fall. What is the men’s team going to be like without him on the track this year?
Vigilante: Ryan has been a solid leader for us this year, despite losing him I am certain Andy Biladeau, Andrew Jesien and others who may not be in a position as yet will emerge to set the standard for our men.
Question: What about the women’s side? They had a tremendous cross country season and All-American Katie Read will look to rejoin them on the track. What will the women’s distance crew look to accomplish in the upcoming months?
Vigilante: Our women have discovered the team aspect to this sport. Even though the contribution is individual in nature, everything about cross country and track and field is team oriented in the end. We are set on making the University of Virginia competitive for team points.
Question: You’ve had a little bit of time to get acquainted with the rest of the track team, now that cross country is over. What have you seen, or what are you excited about for the men this upcoming season?
Vigilante: Our men’s team has momentum. A year ago we had one of the finest seasons on record. That was done with a number of underclassmen, so I have inherited a group hungry for success and talented enough to earn it.
Question: And for the women?
Vigilante: Much like the men’s team our women are poised with very good athletes across many events and perhaps more importantly than just having people in these events, our women are working together to be the best track and field team our university has ever had.