Syracuse University
BIG EAST Preview
Orange Harriers Set For 2010 Campaign
9/9/2010 2:07:58 PM | Cross Country
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Syracuse University cross country team will open the 2010 season on its home course on Saturday, September 11 when the Orange hosts the BIG EAST Preview. The men will compete in a 6k race, while the women will run the 5k course at Jamesville Beach Park. The men's race will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by the women's race at 9:45 a.m.
The meet will give other BIG EAST teams a chance to run at Jamesville Beach Park and prepare for the BIG EAST Championship, which will also be hosted by Syracuse on the same course. Ten other schools will make the trip to Jamesville, N.Y. to run in the meet, including five from the BIG EAST. Connecticut, DePaul, Seton Hall, South Florida and West Virginia will represent the BIG EAST. For Syracuse, the meet will provide many of its younger student-athletes a chance to run on their home course and gain experience at the collegiate level.
Home Course Advantage
The BIG EAST Preview will mark the first chance for the Orange to perform in front of a home crowd since the 2004 season. Syracuse will hold a slight advantage over its competition as the Orange harriers train at Jamesville Beach Park once a week. SU will also host the 2010 BIG EAST Championship on October 30 at Jamesville cross country course. The Orange men have their eye on defending their 2009 title, while the women look to improve on their third-place finish.
Continuing the Run of Success
The Orange is preparing to build on the most successful season in program history. Last year, the men's team captured its first BIG EAST and NCAA Northeast Regional Championships. The women also set SU standards, earning a program-best third-place finish at the BIG EAST championship and joining the men as Northeast Regional Champions.
The 2010 roster includes nine letterwinners from the 2009 women's squad and six from the men's team. Head coach Chris Fox and assistant coach Brien Bell welcome five newcomers to the women's team. "I expect the new girls to have an immediate impact, starting at this weekend's meet," Fox said.
Orange in the Polls
The men and women's cross country teams received first-place rankings in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Northeast Regional poll. Both teams have their eye on repeating as Northeast Regional Champions. The program is continuing to gain national prominence as the two teams are also ranked ninth in the USTFCCCA preseason poll.