New Market, VA - The Hofstra Men's and Women's Cross Country teams will be at full force when they compete in the 2009 CAA Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday (Oct. 31) at New Market Battlefield State Park in New Market, Virginia. The men's 8-kilometer race will begin at 10 a.m. and the women's 6-kilometer race will follow at 11 a.m.
The CAA's 26th women's Championship and the 27th men's Championship will be hosted by James Madison University. William and Mary will attempt to win its 10th-consecutive men's title, while the Tribe women will be trying to capture their seventh straight championship.
The William and Mary men, who currently rank ninth in the nation and second in the Southeast region, return eight runners who placed in the top-11 and earned all-conference status at last year's CAA Championship. The Tribe is led by junior Jon Grey, who placed third in the 2008 CAA Championship and finished fifth at the Pre-Nationals on Oct. 17 in Terre Haute, Ind. He was also sixth in last year's Southeast regional meet and placed in the top-80 at the NCAA Championship. Other top returnees from the Tribe include the 2008 runner-up Colin Leak, along with Patterson Wilhelm (4th), Harry Miller (5th), Lewis Woodard (6th), Charlie Swartz (7th), Brian Sklodowski (8th) and Chris Tyson (11th).
George Mason's Scott Tekesky and Everett Hackett, Delaware's Chris Bourke, Northeastern's Teddy Vrountas and VCU's Piotr Dybas each finished among the top-20 at last year's CAA Championship and will be among the contenders for the individual title this year.
The Hofstra men placed seventh in the eight team field in 2008 with current junior Phil Giackette placing 37th in 26:18, 2:22 behind the champion, Mark Steeds from Georgia State. Hofstra senior Tom Daly, who is red-shirting this season, was the Pride's second finisher last year, coming in 41st in 26:35 with current senior Mike McCristall on his heels in 42nd with a time of 26:41. Hofstra's best team finish in its eight CAA championships came in 2003 when the Pride placed fifth.
On the women's side, William and Mary is currently ranked fifth in the Southeast region, while James Madison is a couple of slots behind in seventh. Delaware is ranked 14th in the Mid-Atlantic region heading into the conference championship. Georgia State has placed third or higher during the past four CAA championships.
Individually, W&M senior Emily Anderson is back to defend her conference crown. She is expected to receive strong challenges from Georgia State's Janel Blancett, who finished second a year ago, and James Madison's Alison Parris, who placed seventh at last year CAA Championship. Other William and Mary contenders are Meghan Burns, Betsy Graney, Kayley Byrne, and Heather Beichner, who each finished in the top 10 at last year's championship and earned all-conference status.
The Pride women placed ninth out of 10 schools in the 2008 CAA Championship. Current junior Riti Dhillon, who has been bothered by injuries this season, was Hofstra's best finisher, placing 57th in 23:56. Returnees Katie Wiking placed 86th in 25:07 while LeeAna Benson was 93rd in 25:52. The Pride's best team finish came in 2003 when Jen Malenovsky's ninth place finish led Hofstra to third place behind William and Mary and James Madison.
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