AMCC Cross Country Championships Set for Saturday, October 29
The Penn State Behrend men's and women's cross country teams are gearing up for the 2005 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships on Saturday, October 29 at Westmoreland County Fairgrounds. The event is being hosted by Pitt-Greensburg with the women running the 6k at 11:00 a.m. followed by the men's 8k race at noon.
The men are looking to gain their second AMCC title in school history after finishing second to Frostburg State for four consecutive seasons. "Frostburg State has been a strong AMCC opponent, and this year is no exception," said head coach Dave Cooper. "Brad Ruffo could dominate the field but the race will be determined in the second through fifth positions for each team. Hopefully our preparation will pay off."
The women are striving to defend last season's AMCC crown after losing four all-conference runners from a year ago, and have rebuilt with youth. "After a shaky start in which we couldn't even field a full team at an early invitational, the women's team is healthy and primed to defend our title," said Cooper. "We probably rate as the underdogs going into the AMCC championships, but our women are focused and ready."
The cross country program is in its tenth year at Penn State Behrend, and fifth under the direction of coach Cooper. Since their inaugural season in 1996 both the men’s and women’s teams have enjoyed an abundance of success. Both groups have won an AMCC title, the men have finished in the top twenty at the NCAA regional meet in seven of nine years, and the women are coming off of a thirteenth place finish in 2004.
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