Men and Women need freshmen to fill in major gaps
By KATHLEEN O'BRIEN
Associate Sports Editor
The Notre Dame cross country teams must build around a new nucleus of athletes after losing more than half of both varsity squads to graduation.
The women, who earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships a season ago, must replace All-American JoAnna Deeter, All-American 10,000-meter runner Alison Klemmer and classmates Patty Rice, Nicole LaSelle and Erin Luby.
"If you look at us on paper, we lost a lot from last year," head women's cross country coach Tim Connelly said. "Five of our top nine runners graduated. If we can get some of our older kids to fulfill their potential and get some of the freshmen to step up, we could be pretty good.
Connelly will turn to a bevy of new freshmen to fill the gaps.
Megan Johnson hails from Washington as a state champion in the mile.
Beth Androsky and Maggie Nelsen each captured third in cross country in their states, New Jersey and Missouri, respectively.
Rachel Endress and Julia Schmidt took sixth each in Illinois and Missouri in cross country.
Michigan native Jessica Campbell was a state champion in the 3,200-meter run in track.
"I think Megan Johnson would come in and contribute, not just in cross country, but on the track as well,"Connelly said. "But any of the girls in that whole group could make an impact."
Senior Leanne Brady and junior Hilary Burn serve as captains for the Irish.
Other veterans include sophomores Jennifer Handley, Muffy Schmidt and Kari Eaton; and seniors Chrissy Kuenster, Erin Olson and Bridget O'Brien.
"We'd like to improve in the Big East, after fifth last year,"Connelly said. "Obviously we want to qualify for nationals and improve on what we did last year."
The men find themselves in the same boat, as four of the top seven runners graduated.
Last year the Irish captured the Big East title and placed eighth in the NCAA Championships.
In addition to losing Ryan Maxwell, Sean McManus, John Dudley and Mike Greiwe to graduation, the Irish may be without All-American senior Ryan Shay.
Shay placed tenth in the 10,000-meter run in the U.S. Olympic Trials in July, and may not be fully recovered for cross country.
Leading the way in replacing the missing links, head cross country coach Joe Piane hopes, will be incoming freshman Todd Mobley.
The Michigan native placed 18th at the Foot Locker national cross country meet.
By his side will be Brian Kerwin, a state cross country champion in New Jersey.
"Those two guys should help us immensely," Piane said.
Joining Mobley and Kerwin at the forefront of the new runners will be David Alber of Ohio and Kevin Somak of Connecticut.
"Those are the bulk of our freshmen," Piane said. "We're going to need one in our top five and another at least in our top seven."
Top returning runners include juniors Luke Watson, Marc Striowski and Pat Conway. Watson and Shay are set to serve as captains.
The first cross country meet of the season will be the Valparaiso Invitational Sept. 9.
All Sports Stories for Saturday, August 19, 2000
