Temple University Athletics
Cross Country To Compete At Atlantic 10 Championship On Saturday
9.12.06 | Women's Cross Country
Oct. 27, 2005
PHILADELPHIA - In their first year of competition since 1985, the Temple men's and women's cross country teams will compete at the Atlantic 10 Championship on Saturday, October 29, at Philadelphia's Belmont Plateau. For the men, it will be the first time in 20 years that the Owls will race against the conference's best. The women will make their first ever apperance at the A-10 Championship, since the conference added the women's race four years after Temple dropped the sport.
Two freshmen, Adin Mickle and Angela Washko, have paced the men's and women's teams, respectively. Both harriers have led their teams in each race this fall and hope to challenge for the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year.
The 28th annual Men's Cross Country Championship will begin at 10:00am on Belmont Plateau's 8,000-meter course. La Salle seeks to become the first-ever program to win six consecutive A-10 titles after placing seven runners in the top 10 at last year's Championship. Senior John Ciccarelli of Richmond was the 2004 individual champion with a time of 25:30. The Soutbury, CT, resident seeks to become the sixth runner in Conference annals to defend his individual title and first since Todd Witzleben of La Salle (2001-02). Challenging Ciccarelli for the title will be senior John Butler and junior Sean Quigley of La Salle, who finished second and third, respectively, at the 2004 meet. A-10 newcomers Charlotte and Saint Louis will look to seize the title away from the Explorers and will joined in the hunt by Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, George Washington, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Richmond, St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's, Temple, and Xavier.
The 17th running of the Women's Cross Country Championship will begin at 10:45am. La Salle claimed its third crown in program history in 2004 as it turned aside 2003 champion Richmond, 35-61. Leading the Explorers is junior Rachel Papin, who posted a winning time of 17:48 at last year's Championship en route to becoming just the second La Salle runner in school history to win the A-10 title, joining two-time champion Sheila Klick (2002-03). Two-time All-Conference selections Nicole Kurtain and Amanda Russell of Richmond seek their first individual A-10 crown, along with Cindy Smith of Rhode Island and Duquesne's Amy Ruffolo, who finished fourth and 10th, respectively, at the 2004 Championship. Three-time 2004 Performer of the Week selection Cassie Ficken leads A-10 newcomer Charlotte, while Saint Louis and Temple will also compete in their first-ever A-10 Cross Country Championships. Dayton, Fordham, George Washington, Massachusetts, St. Bonaventure, Saint Joseph's, and Xavier round out the field. The race is 5,000 meters.
The Atlantic 10 Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships are the first two of 21 championships to be held this year - six of which will take place in the fall. The University of Dayton will be the site of the Atlantic 10 Women's Soccer Championship (Nov. 3-6), while the Field Hockey Championship (Nov. 4-5) will be held at Temple University's Geasey Field. Robert R. Hermann Stadium, on the campus of Saint Louis University, will be the setting for the Men's Soccer Championship (Nov. 10-13), while the Women's Volleyball Championship (Nov. 18-19) at the University of Rhode Island will be the final Championship of the fall sports season.
