Monday, September 9, 2013

As XC Season Begins, the Fight for Top 7 in On

Just a few days away from the start of the 2013 cross country campaign, Villanova's 7-deep at the top of the roster looks pretty much set -- except for the final spot.  Villanova returns five of its top-7 harriers from last year's squad -- losing stalwarts Mathew Mildenhall and Matt Kane to graduation and lack of eligibility (see 2012 chart below).  Added to the returning five is promising freshman Patrick Tiernan (a three-time Australian national cross country champion as a junior).  Tiernan figures to be among the top 3 runners on Villanova's team this season, especially as the races get longer at the end of the season, joining fellow compatriots Sam McEntee and Jordy Williamsz.  Sitting in the #4 spot (but pressing Williamsz at #3) looks to be Canadian Rob Denault, while returners Alex Tully and Brian Basili seems ready to fill the 5-6 slots.  That leaves the competition for the final spot on the squad for the end-of-the-year competitions (NCAA regionals and nationals).  Based on last year's performances, the #7 spot seems to wide open.  In play for that spot are returners Dusty Solis, Chris O'Sullivan, Tom Trainer, Harry Warnick, and Kevin Corbusier (Greg Morrin, who graduated, but had one more year of eligibility, is not on the 2013 roster).  Newcomer Ben Malone, primarily an 800 meter / mile specialist, might also enter the fray.  The exact mix of runners at the top of the squad, of course, will reveal itself soon enough, as the team gets through the first few events.

2013 Cross Country Schedule
09/13/13  Big Five Invitational        Philadelphia, Pa.  
09/26/13  Main Line Invitational       Haverford, Pa.  
10/05/13  Chile Pepper Festival        Fayetteville, Ark.  
10/19/13  Princeton Invitational       Princeton, N.J.  
11/02/13  BIG EAST Championships       Kenosha, Wis.  
11/15/13  NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional   Bethlehem, Pa.  
11/23/13  NCAA Championships           Terre Haute, Ind.



Here's the finishing order on the Villanova squad for the team during last year's campaign.


2012 XC Campaign
Main Line
4 mi
Paul Short 8K
Pre-Nats
8K
Big East
8K
NCAA Reg 10K
NCAA Nats 10K
2013 Eligible?
Sam McEntee
1
1
DNF
1
1
3

Matt Mildenhall
3
2
1
2
4
1
No
Jordy Williamsz
2
3
3
4
2
4

Rob Denault
DNS
5
2
3
5
5

Matt Kane
5
6
4
7
7
2
No
Alex Tully
4
8
7
5
3
6

Brian Basili
6
7
5
6
6
7

Greg Morrin
7
4
6
8
DNS
DNS
Out
John Pickhaver
8
9
8
9
DNS
DNS
Transfer
Tom Trainer
9
12
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Chris O’Sullivan
10
13
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Harry Warnick
11
11
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Kevin Corbusier
12
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Dan Harris
13
16
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Dusty Solis
14
10
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Chris Pietrocarlo
15
15
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Charlie Bates
16
14
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Robert Hurlbut
17
17
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Josh Lampron
18
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS

Andrew Golato
19
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS
No
Richie Bohny
20
18
DNS
DNS
DNS
DNS



















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