MAAC XC Championships: Women's comments and history

As I watched Friday’s race unfold for our women’s XC team, as the field passed the mile mark I texted Coach Chuck, back home and teaching his high school class. My report was that we were not out too well through the mile. I was concerned because I knew he would be concerned. But I also knew that we had women who would attack the Back Hills and possibly change the course of what I was seeing at that time.

Watching and coaching cross country races can be an exhilarating and stressful experience. Your focus narrows. Your goal is to get five runners with your team uniform across the line as quickly as possible. So when we saw sophomore Kristen Traub and junior Michelle Gaye powering out of the woods and looking as strong as could be way far up in the pack, it was a great feeling. Then, a few strides back, we saw freshman Janelle Solviletti and a hard-charging sophomore Nicki Nesi coming down the gravel path along Broadway. Good stuff. Top-4 looking strong! And then … and then … and then …

This is where the pit-in-the-stomach, gray-hair-sprouting moments come. You need a fifth runner. Where’s your fifth runner? Where’s your fifth runner! Where’s your fifth! Erin Thompson, our tough and talented junior captain, was struggling through a difficult race. But she was our fifth runner on this day. She had to come through. Well back from where she normally is, weary and struggling, she did just that. Phew. Third place by a point.

Gaps like that make coaches prematurely age. It is a common talking point among coaches. Gaps too big. We need a fifth. We need more depth. But here’s the thing: I look at the list of 21 women who raced for us on Friday afternoon. Of those 21, I see exactly two – 2! – who will be graduating and moving on. We will miss them, to be sure, but we have a nucleus for success that we can build upon for several more years. Our top-7 from Friday goes like this: Sophomore, junior, freshman, sophomore, junior, sophomore, freshman.

Of course, there are no guarantees in this sport. But returning that many athletes who have tasted success, and many others who are hungering for more, gives us great hope. There is always hope.

MAAC Championships history, women
1997: 4th place, 103 points (VCP)
1998: 1st place, 39 points* (VCP)
1999: 1st place (tie), 41 points (VCP)
2000: 1st place, 42 points (Disney)
2001: 3rd place, 93 points (VCP)
2002: 5th place, 114 points (VCP)
2003: 5th place (tie) 102 points (VCP)
2004: 1st place, 40 points (Disney)
2005: 3rd place, 83 points (VCP)
2006: 2nd place, 87 points (VCP)
2007: 4th place, 115 points (VCP)
2008: 3rd place, 78 points (Disney)
2009: 2nd place, 56 points (VCP)
2010: 4th place, 106 points (Hammonasset)
2011: 2nd place, 60 points (VCP)

2012: 2nd place, 65 points (Disney)

2013: 3rd place, 109 points (VCP)
*lowest championship point total in school history
bold = MAAC Champions