Temple University Athletics
Temple University
Iona Meet of Champions
Men’s Cross Country Set to Compete at Iona College Meet of Champions
9.19.19 | Men's Cross Country
PHILADELPHIA – The Temple University men's cross country team travels to New York, N.Y. this Friday, September 20th for the Iona College Meet of Champions. The 25th annual meet will be held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, and will have the men racing 8,000 meters starting at 10:00 a.m.
Last Time Out
> Nine Temple runners kicked off their 2019 season at the Lehigh Invitational on Friday evening: David Westcott, Ethan Koza, Sean Egan, Quinn Serfass, Donovan Mears, Zach Seiger, Tom O'Keeffe, Kristian Jensen and Luke Klingenberg. New faces on the roster, Westcott, O'Keeffe, Koza, and Klingenberg, made their first ever appearance in the Cherry and White.
> The Owls executed their planned pack mentality very well, as eight of Temple's nine runners finished within a two-second spread. Westcott finished first for Temple, clocking in at 19:57.82. He was flanked by Koza (19:57.87) and Egan (19:57.88). Serfass (19:58.11) and Mears (19:58.16) crossed the line right after and Seiger (19:58.43), O'Keeffe (19:58.48) and Jensen (19:59.56) were close behind.
About the Owls
>In his seventh season leading the cross country program, head coach James Snyder, along with assistant coach Tyler Deck Shipley, are confident that the team has the ability to build upon last year's successes. Prior to the start of the season, the Owls received a vote in the national polls for the first time in program history and were ranked fifth in the USTFCCCA preseason poll for the Mid-Atlantic Region.
>Last season, the Cherry and White made history at the American Athletic Conference Championships, earning second place overall behind nationally-ranked Tulsa. The Owls continued their post-season at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, where they placed sixth for the best finish in program history.
>To conclude the 2018 season, the Owls competed at the IC4A Championships in New York. Jensen won the final race of the season, making the individual IC4A champion a Temple runner for the second straight year and wrapping up the best season in Temple men's cross country history.
>The Owls return a strong core group of runners this season, led by captains Jensen and Kevin Lapsansky. Jensen and Lapsansky, along with Seiger and Lou Corgliano earned All-Conference honors in 2018. Jensen and Seiger continued to rack up accolades, securing All-Region honors for their standout performances at the NCAA-Mid Atlantic Regional.
>Redshirt senior Harry Powell also promises to be a key contributor for the Cherry and White. Powell finished 16th at the conference meet to help the Owls achieve their program-best finish.
About the Iona College Meet of Champions
> Iona College held the Br. John "Paddy" Doyle Meet of Champions for the first time in 1996 and has continued the tradition ever since.
> Van Cortlandt Park is a 1,146-acre park located in the Bronx borough of New York City. It is home to the country's first public golf course, the oldest house in the Bronx and the borough's largest freshwater lake.
> Over 20 teams competed in the 2018 Meet of Champions, however, the Owls have not raced in the meet since 2011.
Players Mentioned
