Cross Country

By : Thomas Brouillard
Staff Writier

The C.W. Post University Men’s and Women’s Cross Country squad were in action this past weekend at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University in Bethlehem PA.

Graduate student and team captain Vincent Giambanco was the first to finish with a time of 26.43 in the five mile race. Giambanco placed 75th overall in the race of 357 runners. Shortly following Giambanco was sophomore Thomas Speicher who ran a personal best 26.57. Also running a personal best was the Pioneer’s third man was freshman newcomer Joe Lasher who clocked in at 27 minutes even. Closely behind him was sophomore Christian Altarmura with a time of 27.05. Ray Coyle would be the Pioneer’s 5^th man crossing the line in 27.31.

Overall the men placed 21^st out of 40 teams in the Brown race. “I think it was a good experience to be able to compete in such a competitive meet away from some of the courses we are use to running on,” said Giambanco. “These types of mid season races are a great way for us to get out there and see what we can do against teams we normally wouldn’t compete against.”

The lady Pioneer’s competed in a 6K race (3.75 miles). Crossing the line first was sophomore Caitlin Smith with a personal best time of 25.03, placing her 85^th out of 278. Smith’s time also put her just shy of making the C.W. Post Women’s All Time 6K list. Freshman Jenn McLaughlin ran a time of 25.21 with graduate student and team captain Erin Lusenskas right on her heels finishing 10 seconds later. Freshman Karissa Chiantella finished in 25.43 and rounding out the top five for the women was Angelica Price who crossed the line at 26.14.

The women finished 22^nd out of 36 teams in the White race. “Overall we had some very solid performances today on what could have been a washout day with the weather” said Coach Rob Morris. “In addition, this is also the time of year where their training is at its toughest point and some of them may feel a little beaten up. But from this point on we typically see a lot of breakout performances.” The Pioneer’s are back in action this up coming weekend when they travel to Orlando, Fl for the Disney Classic Invitational which will be held on October 9^th.