Cross Country 2019 Season Preview
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For the fifth-straight season the St. Joseph's College (L.I.) cross country team will open its season at the SJC Friends and Alumni Meet at Broadway Ave. Park in Sayville, NY. A year ago, the women placed second and the men took third at the season-opener.
Head coach Jim Crowley returns for his 22nd season at the helm of both the women's and men's teams and hopes to add to his combined 17 Skyline Conference championships. The women were crowned champions most recently in 2017 while the men have not won since the 2013 season.
Last year, the women's team finished second at the conference championships on October 25 and the men took third. A week later, the women's team placed second at the ECAC Cross Country Championships on November 3.
The Returners: Meagan Haviland returns for her junior campaign after a stellar sophomore year in which she was named ECAC Metro Runner of the Month for September and October before earning Skyline All-Conference First-Team honors at the conference championship. On the women's side, Crowley will also lean on All-ECAC selections Julia Boris and Marlee Lopez, both sophomores, and senior Karli Murphy.
The men welcome back senior Nick DeLuca, a three-time Skyline All-Conference Second-Team selection, and sophomore Dennis O'Rourke, who appeared on the Second-Team as a freshman. Juniors Jeremy Anderson and Thomas Newham round out the returning contingent of four.
The Newcomers: Freshmen Ryan Wilson and Matt Lopez will compete at the front for the men's team and highlight a recruiting class that Crowley has touted as possibly the men's team's best ever. Pyper Cline is a freshman on the women's team that Crowley expects to score as well.
Expectations: Crowley feels both of his teams are deeper in 2019 than they were in 2018. He insists there is a gap between Haviland and the rest of his scorers on the women's side but is hopeful that the gap will narrow. The success of the men's team rests squarely on the shoulders of the newcomers. If they're fighting at the front with DeLuca the men's team will be a force. Crowley, as always, aims for titles but believes both teams are good enough to finish second or third at the conference championships on October 31.
