[Kutztown Fall Roundup] 2005 Kutztown University Cross Country Preview

[Josh Leiboff]

2005 Kutztown University Cross Country Preview

Women: With four of its top seven runners returning, and one of the best recruiting classes in school history, the Kutztown University women's cross country team hopes to make a run at conference and regional titles and a return trip to the NCAA Championships.

     The Golden Bears, under eighth-year head coach Ray Hoffman, will look to improve upon its 18th place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2004, after tying the program's best-ever second-place finish at regionals and turning in a third-place showing at the Pennsylvania State athletic Conference Championships.

     Junior Molly Lare returns to lead the Golden Bears.  Lare is a two-time All-PSAC and All-Region performer and was the 2003 PSAC Rookie of the Year.  Lare was Kutztown's top finisher in each of her eight races in 2004, including two victories and three-other top-six finishes.  She was 14th at the PSAC Championships, 11th at Regionals and placed 35th at the NCAA Championships. 

     Chelsea Thomas, also a junior, is KU's number two returning runner.  Thomas stepped up as a sophomore last fall, finishing as KU's second runner at regionals, missing all-region honors by one place.  She had four other top-20 finishes in 2004  

     Junior Desiree Bower and sophomore Stephanie Williams round out the Golden Bears' returning top-seven runners.  The duo split Kutztown's number five finishes in the post-season last year, with Bower rounding out the Golden Bear scorers at the PSAC Championships, and Williams doing so at regionals and nationals.

     Sophomores Kristin Green, Jackie Habe and Erica Kabbeko have experience among Kutztown's top seven.  Kabbeko will serve as a tri-captain, with Lare and Thomas.  Juniors Stephanie Milinichik and Valerie Toczek, and sophomores Katelyn Katzgrau and Krystal Klunk also return.

     Joining the returners is what Hoffman tabs his best recruiting class, which features several members who should compete for top five positions.  Hailey Dell (Saranac Lake, NY/Saranac Lake) was a five-time section champion, Cheryl Dingman (Lansdale/North Penn) was a four-time state qualifier, Joanna Horstmann (Downingtown/Downingtown West) placed 18th at the 2004 PIAA AAA championships, Julie Karaszkiewicz (Boothwyn/Garnet Valley) finished eighth at the 2003 PIAA AAA meet, Ashley Kelly (Bensalem/Bensalem) placed second at districts in 2002.

     Men:  The 2005 edition of Kutztown University men's cross country promises continued improvement.  KU fielded a very young team in 2004, but improved to sixth at the PSAC Championships and ninth at regionals.

     Five of the Golden Bears' top seven runners return this season.   Leading the way will be Dan Wilde and Patrick Coyne.  Wilde, who will serve as team captain in '05, was KU's second finisher at the PSAC Championships, placing 33rd.  He placed 44th at regionals.  Coyne was the team's #2 finisher at regionals, placing 40th, after placing 35th at the conference meet.  

     Junior Joe Haughey ran in the top five for Kutztown in the post-season last year.  He placed 39th at the PSAC Championships and was 58th at regionals.  

     Mark Simpson and Pat Bone also return to the top seven.  The duo were the Golden Bears top rookies last year.  Simpson was the team's sixth finisher at both post-season meets, while Bone was the team's fourth finisher at regionals after rounding out the top seven at PSACs.

     Dave Tidey, the only senior on both KU's teams, returns after redshirting in 2004.  Tidey has been a consistent top-seven runner over his first three seasons.

     Sophomores Nate Manbeck, Pat McKeever and Blake Vaught complete the list of returning runners.  

     Four newcomers will vie for spots among the top seven this fall.  Kyle Keehn (Secane/Ridley) was an All-Delco selection, Drew Ketterer (Bernville/Tulpehocken) was a two-time PIAA qualifier, Zach Miller (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) was second-team All-South Jersey, and John Pyne (Harrisburg/Bishop McDevitt) is his school's record holder in the 3200-meter run. 

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Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
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