CAA Championships Await Cougar Cross Country
10/31/2013 7:40:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Men's and women's cross country head coach Amy Seago and her talented band of Cougars will be in Timonium, Md., on Saturday for the program's first appearance in the Colonial Athletic Associations's Cross Country Championships, hosted by Towson University.
“I feel confident our team is ready,” said Seago. “However, when it comes to a conference championship, the big x-factor is whether or not you can get everyone to run well on the same day. Ultimately, what we need to do is focus, and only worry about the things that we can control. If we do that, I think we have a chance to perform very well.”
This marks the second trip to the Oregon Ridge Park course for the Cougars who flew up to Timonium – a small town outside of Baltimore County – for the Towson Invitational on Sept. 21, where both the men and women finished in third place. The previous experience should prove advantageous for the Cougars, given the contours of the course are unique, marked with distinctly more hills and gradients than the Cougars are used to racing on.
The women's 6K will kick-start the event at 11:00 a.m., followed by the men's 8K, at noon. The Cougars should be paced from the get-go by their powerful 1-2 punches of Adam Seften and Mackenzie Johnston on the men's side, and Hayley McMahon and Trish Rein on the women's. Seften and Johnston have combined for three CAA Runner of the Week awards while McMahon and Rein have maintained their place at the front of the pack in every race this season.
Looking to bridge the gap between the top two positions and the rest of the squad will be freshman Carlee Cassidy (Lindsay, Ontario), Kornelia Kostka, (Kielce, Poland), Danielle Sams (Goose Creek, S.C.) and Elle Brewer (Knoxville, Tenn.) for the women, and Alex Couch (Hilton Head, S.C.), Sean McMahon (Hilton Head, S.C.) and Nick Putnam (Columbia, S.C.) for the men.
The Cougars – boasting one of the most talented sides in program history – will come in to the meet with lofty goals, however this year's edition of cougar cross country has already left head coach Amy Seago with plenty to smile about.
“What I appreciate most about this group is well they have bought in to what it takes to be a successful student-athlete here at the College,” said Seago. “The upper-classmen have really impressed upon the freshman the right work ethic and prioritization required to balance athletics and academics. I'm proud of what they have been able to accomplish.”
Players Mentioned
