Women's Cross Country 9/2/2009 3:00:00 PM UAlbany Sports Information

Men's Cross Country Ties For Fifth, Women Tabbed Seventh in A-East Preseason Polls

Cambridge, Mass. - The University at Albany men's cross country team has been picked to finish tied for fifth, while the women's squad was projected to place seventh, according to the preseason polls conducted by the America East Conference head coaches and released on Wednesday, Sept. 2 by the league office.
     On the men's side, New Hampshire was selected to win its fourth consecutive title. The Wildcats received 58 points and five of a possible eight first-place votes. Stony Brook was second with 54 points and two first-place votes. Binghamton and Boston University were tabbed third and fourth, respectively, with one first-place vote apiece, while UAlbany and Maine, Vermont, UMBC and Hartford rounded out the poll.
     The UAlbany men lost their top runner to graduation, but return everyone else from a squad which finished sixth, one spot higher than the previous year, at the conference championship despite fielding the youngest team at the championship meet. R.J. Sniffen, who most recently competed in the 5,000-meter run at the USA Junior National Track & Field Championship, is the top returner. Sniffen garnered All-East honors for his 20th-place performance at the 2008 IC4A championship, and he also finished 30th at last year's America East meet. Freshman Alex Leuchanka, the 2008 New York Cross Country Federation champion who also led the Plainsmen to the team title, leads the list of newcomers. Sophomore Jack Kelley along with redshirt freshmen Ethan Clary and Ryan Florkiewicz round out the Great Danes' top five entering the fall season.
     Stony Brook, which has participated as a team at the NCAA Championships for the past two seasons, was unanimously picked to win its third straight women's crown. The Seawolves received the maximum eight first-place votes and 64 points. Boston University was selected second with 56 points and earned the last first-place vote. New Hampshire, Vermont, Binghamton, Maine, UAlbany, UMBC and Hartford completed the poll.
     Like the men's squad, UAlbany's women's team is still poised to make a jump in the conference even though the squad will be very young and lost its number one runner to graduation. Sophomore Ada Lauterbach and junior Ally Panos are the top returners who will look to help the team improve on its fifth-place performance at the America East championship meet a year ago. Panos placed 29th at last year's league meet, which was 26 spots higher than her finish as a freshman in 2007. Lauterbach, the team's number three runner last season before she was sidelined due to illness, will look to build off a strong outdoor track and field campaign in which she qualified for the ECAC championship in the steeplechase. Freshmen Brianna Service and Mikala Anson are expected to be the squad's number three and four runners, while Kristin Grab and Roxanne Wegman, a 2006 All-Patriot League second-team honoree, are other notable returners who should battle for the fifth spot in the order.
     The men's and women's cross country teams begin their 2009 season at the Monmouth XC Kick-Off on Saturday, Sept. 5. The squads will look to sweep the team titles at the meet for the second consecutive season.
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2009 America East Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. New Hampshire (5) 58 points; 2. Stony Brook (2) 54 points; 3. Binghamton (1) 53 points; 4. Boston U. (1) 47 points; T-5. UAlbany 32 points; T-5. Maine 32 points; 7. Vermont 21 points; 8. UMBC 19 points; 9. Hartford 8 points.

2009 America East Conference Women's Cross Country Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Stony Brook (8) 64 points; 2. Boston U. (1) 56 points; 3. New Hampshire 49 points; 4. Vermont 37 points; 5. Binghamton 32 points; 6. Maine 30 points; 7. UAlbany 27 points; 8. UMBC 20 points; 9. Hartford 9 points.

() - first-place votes

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Players Mentioned

Mikala Anson: 5' 8"; Freshman

Ethan Clary: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

Ryan Florkiewicz: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Jack Kelley: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Kristin Grab: 5' 2"; Junior

Ada Lauterbach: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Ally Panos: 5' 4"; Junior

Brianna Service: 5' 6"; Freshman

Roxanne Wegman: 5' 4"; Senior

R.J. Sniffen: 5' 9"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Mikala Anson
: 5' 8"; Freshman

Ethan Clary
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

Ryan Florkiewicz
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Freshman

Jack Kelley
: 5' 10"; Sophomore

Kristin Grab
: 5' 2"; Junior

Ada Lauterbach
: 5' 5"; Sophomore

Ally Panos
: 5' 4"; Junior

Brianna Service
: 5' 6"; Freshman

Roxanne Wegman
: 5' 4"; Senior

R.J. Sniffen
: 5' 9"; Sophomore