Goucher Teams Ready to Run for Landmark Titles

Negreann Likely to Challenge Lutcza in Men's Race

MADISON, N.J. — A highly competitive cross country season will come to a head on Saturday when Goucher's two teams travel to Bethlehem, Pa., to compete in the 2011 Landmark Cross Country Championships on the Goodman Campus of Lehigh University.

Men’s and women’s team champions will be crowned at the meet while competitors will also vie for individual honors. Competition begins at 1 p.m. with the women’s 6,000-meter run, followed by the men's 8,000-meter race at 2 p.m. There will be an awards ceremony at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The battles for the men’s and women’s titles appear as wide open as they’ve ever been in the history of the conference. The men’s competition features seven teams trying to wrest the title from four-time champion Susquehanna, while the women’s meet features the possibility of a fourth different champion in five years of Landmark competition.

Even without their championship history, the Crusaders would likely enter the meet as the favorite for the title on the men’s side based on the performances throughout the year. Moravian along with Scranton and Juniata seem the likeliest challengers to Susquehanna. Led by defending individual champion Matthew Lutcza, Moravian has been within striking distance of Susquehanna at several regular season meets and has performed well on the course being used for the meet.

The race for the individual title also should be highly competitive with numerous runners posting equally competitive times throughout the year. Lutcza posted the fastest time among Landmark runners at the Paul Short Run on this course in late September, and will not give up his title willingly. Ian Quinlan of Susquehanna and last year’s runner-up Joey Negreann (Denver, Colo./Cherry Creek) from Goucher are the most likely challengers for the individual crown, while Chris Wasnetsky from Scranton, who finished as the runner-up in the first three Landmark Championships before not competing at the meet last season, could also be a factor.

Trying to find a favorite in the women’s competition seems far tougher as numerous teams have fared well throughout the year in meets with heavy Landmark participation. Goucher and Moravian both staked their claims at the Paul Short Run as the Gophers posted the best team finish among Landmark schools at the meet with Moravian just one spot behind. Neither team has claimed a Landmark title previously, and with several runners expected to finish near the front of the pack, both look to have the potential to capture their first this season. Juniata, Susquehanna and Scranton are the three teams that have captured Landmark championships, and each could also make a run for the top spot. Juniata is one team with two returning all-conference performers, while Susquehanna is the defending champion and feature a strong pack led by junior Carly Bass.

Moravian’s Cadee Rockwell is back to defend her individual title and has consistently been among the top performers at meets throughout the season, including topping Landmark-heavy fields at the Paul Short Run and DeSales Invitational. Juniata’s Katrina Woods has narrowly finished behind Rockwell several times during the year and will challenge for the title. Freshman Katherine Currier (Brooklyn, N.Y./LaGuardia) of Goucher and Drew’s Jennifer Van Wingerden also boast several highly-competitive times from the regular season and should be serious challengers for the top spot.

Men's and women's cross country will be the first of six fall sports that the Landmark Conference will crown champions in during the coming weeks. Following Saturday's conference meet, Goucher's runners will next compete at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional on Nov. 12 in Center Valley, Pa., where they will have the opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships which take place Nov. 19 in Oshkosh, Wisc. Last year the Landmark sent four runners to the national meet and had five competitors capture all-region honors with their efforts.