Fall Sports

Winter Sports

Spring Sports

Information

Courtesy of Chris McKibben, Georgian Court SID

NEW HAVEN, CT - The Georgian Court University Cross Country team, coming of a season in which they won their second consecutive CACC conference title, will begin the 2008 campaign tied for ninth in the NCAA Division II East Region preseason poll, released on August 15th.  Individually, Heather Miara (So.-Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) concluded a stellar freshman season by winning the conference race in record time (19:23:29), earning her CACC Rookie of the Year.  Julienne Reilly (Sr.-Wall, NJ/St. Rose) and Jen Musumeci (So.-Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) were the other two Lions to earn all-conference honors last season.

Led by senior captain Kim Galvin (Sr.-North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen), and five of their top seven runners returning, the Lion harriers hope that this season can be a near seamless transition from last year.  "Ideally we want to begin where we left off last year," says 10th year coach and reigning CACC Coach of the Year, Kerwin Lanz.   The team returns a solid group consisting of Galvin, Miara, Reilly, Musumeci and Ammy Gutierrez (So.-Fairview, NJ/Memorial).  The team also returns Emilia Lopez (Union City, NJ/Union Hill) and Krystal Belcher (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra), who Lanz hopes will fill the shoes of graduated 2007 captains, Adrianna Correa (Bogotá, Columbia/Jackson Memorial) and Eileen Jemison (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North).  "In addition to being quality runners, they both provided exceptional leadership which will be sorely missed".

The Lions will also look to two new additions this year for scoring.  Amanda Cavallo (Fr.-Bayville, NJ/Monsignor Donovan) and Tara Thompson (Fr.-Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) both had successful high school careers on exceptional scholastic teams. "I know that they are coming into this season in good shape and both have the ability to compete for top positions on the team" says Lanz.

The two characteristics that have come to define GCU cross country over the past decade are "hardwork" and "team depth".  Hopefully these qualities will continue to endure.  Other key members of the 2008 team are Caitlin Cranwell (Jr.-Howell, NJ/Howell), Oge Okeke (Jr.-Nigeria), Tara Jemison (So.-Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) and Christie Gallant (So.-Avon, NJ/Ocean Township). "The key to a successful season is to be patient, try not to define success exclusively in terms of winning, and not to cut any corners.  Our credo is "champions do the small stuff"".

Georgian Court begins its quest for a third straight CACC title on August 30th at the Delaware Valley College Invitational in Doylestown, PA.

2008 NCAA Division II East Region Cross-Country Preseason Poll

1. Stonehill College 
2. UMass-Lowell
3. Southern Connecticut State University 
4. Bentley College
5. Adelphi University
6. College of Saint Rose
7. LeMoyne College
8. Saint Anslem College
9t. Merrimack College
9t. Georgian Court University