MADISON, N.J. --- A highly competitive cross country season will come to a head on Saturday as eight Landmark teams gather for the 2011 Landmark Cross Country Championships on the Goodman Campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. in a meet hosted by Moravian College. Men's and women's team champions will be crowned at the meet while competitors will also vie for individual first-place awards. Competition begins at 1 p.m. with a women's 6,000-meter run, with the men's 8,000-meter run following at 2 p.m. There will be an awards ceremony at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The Championship season kicks off with the battles for the men's and women's titles appearing as wide open as they've been in the first four years of the Landmark. The men's competition features seven teams trying to wrest the title from four-time champions Susquehanna University, while the women's meet features the possibility of a fourth-different champion in five years of Landmark Competition.
Even without their championship history, Susquehanna would likely enter the meet as the favorite for the title on the men's side based on the performances throughout the year. The Crusaders posted high finishes in meets featuring a number of Landmark teams, and will rely on team depth and balance to maintain their hold on the conference title. Host Moravian along with The University of Scranton, and Juniata College seem the likeliest challengers to the Crusaders. Led by defending individual champion Matthew Lutcza Moravian has been within striking distance of Susquehanna at several regular season meets and has performed well on this course. Seniors Chris Wasnetsky and Patrick Casterline give Scranton a formidable pair to challenge for the team title, while Juniata has also enjoyed a strong season and has three runner-up finishes in this meet while never finishing lower than third.
The race for the individual title also should be highly competitive with numerous runners posting equally competitive times throughout the year. Lutcza posted the fastest time among Landmark runners at the Paul Short Run on this course in late September, and will not give up his title willingly. Ian Quinlan of Susquehanna and last year's runner-up Joey Negreann of Goucher College are the most likely challengers for the individual crown, while Scranton's Wasnetsky who finished as the runner-up in the first three Landmark Championships before not competing at the meet last season, could also be a factor.
Trying to find a favorite in the women's competition seems far tougher as numerous teams have fared well throughout the year in meets with heavy Landmark participation. Goucher and Moravian both staked their claims at the Paul Short Run as the Gophers posted the best team finish at the meet with Moravian just one spot behind. Neither team has claimed a Landmark title previously, and with several runners expected to finish near the front of the pack, both look to have the potential to capture their first this season. Juniata, Susquehanna and Scranton are the three teams that have captured Landmark Championships, and each could also make a run for the top spot. Juniata is one team with two returning All-Conference performers, while Susquehanna is the defending champion and feature a strong pack led by junior Carly Bass. Scranton has finished in the top-two each of the past two years and have been paced by sophomore Mary O'Neill for much of the year.
Like her school-mate on the men's side, Moravian's Cadee Rockwell is back to defend her individual title and has consistently posted the fastest times throughout the season, including topping Landmark-heavy fields at the Paul Short Run and DeSales Invitational. Juniata's Katrina Woods has narrowly finished behind Rockwell several times during the year, and will challenge for the title and her teammate Caroline Morgan has often been right behind her. Newcomers Katherine Currier of Goucher and Drew's Jennifer Van Wingerden also boast several highly-competitive times from the regular season and should be serious challengers for the top spot.
The Landmark Cross Country Championships will be the first of six fall sports that will crown Landmark champions in the coming weeks. Landmark postseason play will begin with semifinals on Wednesday Nov. 2, with Championships following on Saturday Nov. 6, with the winners earning automatic bids for the NCAA Division III Tournaments. The Landmark Cross Country teams will take part in NCAA competition in the NCAA Regional Championships on Nov. 12, with teams and individuals having the opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Championships which take place Nov. 19 in Winneconne, Wisc. Last year the Landmark had four runners earn spots at the NCAA Championships and had five competitors capture All-Region honors with their efforts at the NCAA Regionals.
