College Cross Country

Rider at NCAA Regional Championships

PRINCESS ANNE, MD-The women were 20th of 27 teams and the men were 22nd of 28 teams at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, hosted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Saturday. "The course was a disaster as far as the mud and puddles," said Rider head coach Bob Hamer, "but that's cross country."

For the Rider men, junior Christian Gonzalez (Somerset/Franklin Twp.) placed 28^th of 196 runners, covering the 10,000 meter course in 33:00. "Chris ran really well," Hamer said. "He did a great job. He got himself out into a great position and did a great job moving up. He finished very strong. It was a great race for him." 

For the Rider women, junior Chelsea Callan (Hazlet/Raritan) placed 72^nd of 190 runners, covering the 6,000 meter course in 23:37. "Chelsea ran well," Hamer said. "She did a great job."

Also for the Rider women, freshman Victoria Lima (Westerly, RI/Westerly) was 108^th in 24:14, senior Kelsey Kohler (Southampton, PA/Saint Basil's Academy) placed 112^th in 24:18, freshman Jillian Shutt (Lawrenceville, Pa./Williamson) was 127^th in 24:35, sophomore Heather Giovagnoli (Royersford, PA/Spring Ford) placed 133^rd in 24:43 and junior Ashley O'Brien (Edison/John P. Stevens) was 162^nd in 25:59.

"The women did a great job through 3K," Hamer said.  "Three to four 'K' we kind of backed off when we shouldn't have. We finished strongly."

Also for the Rider men, sophomore Michael Lindner (Whitehouse Station/Hunterdon Central) was 118^th in 35:05, senior Robert McCullough (Plymouth Meeting, PA/La Salle) was 122^nd in 35:14, junior Michael Soroko (Kinnelon) was 132^nd in 35:35, freshman Sean Donohue (Cliffwood Beach/Matawan) finished 136^th in 35:47, freshman Sean McCullough (Plymouth Meeting, PA/La Salle) was 181^st in 38:17 and senior Phillip Capaldi (Woxal, PA/Souderton) was 183^rd in 39:59.

"The guys ran really with through 6K but did not do as well six through eight 'K' and stumbled on to the finish line," Hamer said. "Not a great second half of the race."

Rider competes at the IC4A/ECAC Championships November 14 at Van Cortlandt State Park. "We're looking forward to that race," Hamer said.

-ru-