Oct. 29, 2003
FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Ten schools will visit the famed Van Cortlandt Park, in the Bronx, N.Y. with hopes on winning either the men's and women's Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Cross Country Championships, on Friday, Oct. 31. Van Cortlandt Park will play host to the Big East and Ivy League Championships for a Halloween tripleheader.
It will be the eighth time in the last nine years that Van Cortlandt Park has been the site of the MAAC Championships. In 2000 the MAAC Championships were held at the Walt Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Loyola (Md.) Manhattan, Marist, Niagara, Rider, Saint Peter's, and Siena will traverse the course at Van Cortlandt Park. Both the men's and women's teams at Fairfield University will look to do well, and improve their standings from last year.
Fairfield had the opportunity to take an early look at the course, by running in the Ram Invitational in early September.
Last time out, runners on both teams posted good times at the New England Championships, at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass. On the men's side Bryan Mahoney finished the five-mile course in 26:44, while keeping a 5:26 pace throughout the race. Justin Rindos finished second on the team with 27:06. Matt Borland was next in line for the Stags with a 27:42, and A.J. Kastanotis posted a 28:02 on the afternoon.
The Fairfield women received a solid effort from Shannon Kenefick who used a 6:20 pace to finish the three-mile course in 19:43, to break the 20-minute mark for the first time in her career. Stephanie Stote was second on the team, and also broke the 20-minute barrier with a 19:51. Lauren Wilson and Cara Muzik were just shy breaking it with a 20:17 and 20:33 respectively.
At last year's MAAC Championships the Iona men finished first, followed by Manhattan, Canisius, Marist, Loyola (Md.), Fairfield, Rider, Siena, Saint Peter's, and Niagara. In the women's race, Manhattan won it followed by Iona, Siena, Loyola (Md.), Marist, Fairfield, Canisius, Rider, Niagara, and Saint Peter's.
Erin Heslin was the top female runner for the Stags at the 2002 MAAC Championships, finishing the 3.7-mile course in 23:34. Kenefick was second on the team with a season-best 24:28.7. Wilson was third on the squad with a 24:29.2.
Mahoney was the men's top runner with a 27:41.4 over the five-mile course. Borland was right behind with a 27:42.2.
After the MAAC Championships the Stags will finish the 2003 season at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships at Franklin Park. At the NCAAs both teams will hope the fast times trend will carry over from the New England Championships, where many runners posted season or career-best marks.
