Veteran Squad Looks to Improve at 2009 NCAA Championships

Nov. 19:  The St. Lawrence University men's cross country team will be competing in the program's 13^th NCAA Championship race at the Highland Park Golf Course in Cleveland, OH.  The Saints' veteran roster will look to improve on its 17^th place finish in 2008 when the gun fires at noon on Saturday.

"We were proud of the way we competed at last year's race," said St. Lawrence head coach John Newman.  "Though we graduated one member, Mark Burnham, from that NCAA team, we've returned a strong, experienced group of seven that we think can improve on our finish from a year ago."

Leading the pack for the Saints throughout 2009 campaign has been junior co-captain Dan Ramsey, who has won multiple events this season including the Liberty League and NYSCTC championship races.  The Essex Junction, VT native was 5^th overall at last weekend's Atlantic Regional race and will be looking to earn his first collegiate All-America honors.

"Dan (Ramsey) has been a constant contributor for us throughout his first three seasons, and we'll look to him to lead us again on Saturday," said Coach Newman.  "If he and Jeremy (Mwenda) can set a solid pace up front, our veteran pack can work off of the lead guys."

Coach Newman's roster on Saturday will include Mwenda, a junior competing in his first NCAA Championship race after missing the 2008 season due to injury, four seniors and a sophomore.  Competing in their final collegiate event on Saturday are seniors Terrence Fox, Geoff Millard, Jeremy Beaudette and Jacob Macolmb, while sophomore John Johnston will be the youngest member of the Saints' competing roster.

"Our seniors, including our co-captains Terrence (Fox) and Jacob (Malcomb), have provided outstanding leadership throughout the season," said Coach Newman.  "Having been here for a second straight year, we'll be looking for them to set the tone on Saturday."

The Saints were awarded an at-large bid for the second consecutive season having finished in 5^th place as a team at the Atlantic Regional.  Cortland State, Geneseo State, NYU, RIT and St. Lawrence represent one of the strongest regions in the country, which has claimed the last two NCAA titles.

"We have run against some of the premier student-athletes this season, and we've shown we can compete," added Coach Newman.  "Our region boasts the defending national champions (Cortland) and some of the top challengers to that title, so we hope running against them last weekend will allow us to stay poised and confident."

The Saints stopped in Rochester, NY on Thursday to run at Genesee Valley Park before finishing the trip to Cleveland.  St. Lawrence will see the NCAA Championship course for the first time at practice on Friday before competing in Saturday's title chase.

Coach Newman will be providing updates throughout the team's trip to the 2009 NCAA Championship.  To read "Coach Newman's News," please click here.