Runners prepare for Nationals
Cross Country
Ashley Islas
Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: Sports
The Florida Southern College men's cross country team will be making an appearance at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Championship.
The men's team finished as runner-ups at the 10K South Regional meet in Dover and that helped pave the way to the National meet.
Three Mocs finished in the top 15. Junior Ben Martucci played third with a time of 31:12, junior Eric Larson was fifth with a time of 32:45 and junior Drew Martucci finished 12th in 33:14.
The Martucci brothers and Larson are three of the team's most experienced runners and will need to rely on that experience to succeed at Nationals.
"We need to go out to the race like we've done at Conference and Regional meets," Drew Martucci said. "It's about the same mentality, just a lot bigger."
Other men runners who will be competing at the national level are junior J.J. Blackburn, freshman Zack Kovacik, freshman Bryce Loudermilk and sophomore Jason Patchett-Gillis.
As the top three finishers prepare for Nationals, there is no longer the pressure to reach the Mt. Everest peak for a college athlete, but now only the pressure to prolong their stay atop the highest summit in the D II nation.
"This is probably the biggest type of race any of us will participate in," Larson said. "So for me get a chance to go as a sophomore and a couple guys being freshman and our oldest guys being juniors; we have high hopes to make our appearance at nationals a regular occurrence."
As the men prepare to compete at the highest level, a new goal has created a different kind of pressure.
"We're competing to run our best, yes, but we already made it to the highest event so the pressure to place high is not as high," Ben Martucci said. "However, attempting to make All-American gives some more pressure."
In order to be named an All-American, a runner has to place within the top 40.
Last year's 40th place time was 32:17. Ben Martucci was a minute ahead of that time in the Regional meet. Larson was less than 30 seconds behind that time and Drew Martucci was off pace of that time by one minute.
"Preparing and competing at the national level is what all of us have dreamed of doing and is part of the reason we run," Larson said. "Knowing that we are a national caliber team and group of runners is what all of us want."
For the Lady Mocs, senior Carolyne Kwambai will be competing as an individual for the third time in her four-year career at the NCAA D II women's championship. She attended the National Championship as part of a team her freshman year.
Kwambai placed fourth at the 6K South Regional meet with a time of 22:21. This time is right on pace with last year's national championship top 40 finisher.
Other Lady Mocs who completed the Regional race were senior Ali Gardino, sophomore Kelsey Dunn, freshmen Justine Michael, Kassandra Gearlds, Katie Barrese and sophomore Karys Whitehead.
The NCAA Division II Championship is Nov. 21 at Evansville, Ind.
The men's team finished as runner-ups at the 10K South Regional meet in Dover and that helped pave the way to the National meet.
Three Mocs finished in the top 15. Junior Ben Martucci played third with a time of 31:12, junior Eric Larson was fifth with a time of 32:45 and junior Drew Martucci finished 12th in 33:14.
The Martucci brothers and Larson are three of the team's most experienced runners and will need to rely on that experience to succeed at Nationals.
"We need to go out to the race like we've done at Conference and Regional meets," Drew Martucci said. "It's about the same mentality, just a lot bigger."
Other men runners who will be competing at the national level are junior J.J. Blackburn, freshman Zack Kovacik, freshman Bryce Loudermilk and sophomore Jason Patchett-Gillis.
As the top three finishers prepare for Nationals, there is no longer the pressure to reach the Mt. Everest peak for a college athlete, but now only the pressure to prolong their stay atop the highest summit in the D II nation.
"This is probably the biggest type of race any of us will participate in," Larson said. "So for me get a chance to go as a sophomore and a couple guys being freshman and our oldest guys being juniors; we have high hopes to make our appearance at nationals a regular occurrence."
As the men prepare to compete at the highest level, a new goal has created a different kind of pressure.
"We're competing to run our best, yes, but we already made it to the highest event so the pressure to place high is not as high," Ben Martucci said. "However, attempting to make All-American gives some more pressure."
In order to be named an All-American, a runner has to place within the top 40.
Last year's 40th place time was 32:17. Ben Martucci was a minute ahead of that time in the Regional meet. Larson was less than 30 seconds behind that time and Drew Martucci was off pace of that time by one minute.
"Preparing and competing at the national level is what all of us have dreamed of doing and is part of the reason we run," Larson said. "Knowing that we are a national caliber team and group of runners is what all of us want."
For the Lady Mocs, senior Carolyne Kwambai will be competing as an individual for the third time in her four-year career at the NCAA D II women's championship. She attended the National Championship as part of a team her freshman year.
Kwambai placed fourth at the 6K South Regional meet with a time of 22:21. This time is right on pace with last year's national championship top 40 finisher.
Other Lady Mocs who completed the Regional race were senior Ali Gardino, sophomore Kelsey Dunn, freshmen Justine Michael, Kassandra Gearlds, Katie Barrese and sophomore Karys Whitehead.
The NCAA Division II Championship is Nov. 21 at Evansville, Ind.
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