The Collegian

Issue date: 9/6/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Courtesy of www.smcgaels.com

Media Credit: Courtesy of www.smcgaels.com Top runners Sean Hanley '07 and Clare Schwallie '07 return to the Gaels this year in hopes of leading the team to an improved WCC finish.

After undergoing pre-season training since August 18th, the men and women's cross country teams are now ready to compete in their first event, the Aggie Invitational. "Based on the work we've done in the pre-season, we're much more prepared," said Coach Randy Rau. "Pre-season training has been going great."

So with the pre-season finally over and the official cross country season now under way, both the men and women's cross country teams look forward to improve on last season's results, finishing eighth in the West Coast Conference (WCC).

But with the loss of a few of last season's top runners, Travis Biziorek '06 and James Bolger '06 for the men's team and Jamee Thomson '06 for the women's, both teams will be expecting great results from all their runners this season, including freshmen Haley Hunsaker and Erin Flinn, both of which Rau found really impressive in their pre-season performances.

As for returning runners expected to make an immediate impact, there are quite a few to mention.

Returning runner for the men's team expected to lead the team this season is lone senior Sean Hanley, last season's Most Valuable Runner. Hanley competed in all seven races last year and led the Gaels in five of them. Hanley ran his personal best at the Santa Clara Invitational running the 8K event in 27:44.

This year, he will be serving as team captain and expects great progress for both himself and the entire team this season. "We've been able to train better. And even though we're a smaller team, we'll be a better team," said Hanley.

Top runners, Clare Schwallie '07, Deanna Price '07 and Karrie Hagedorn '08 will be the returning this season for the Gaels. Clare Schwallie, last season's top runner for the women's team, participated in six races last year and ran her personal best at the Stanford Invitational in the 6K event clocking a time of 24:07, the eighth fastest time in women's Gael history. Deanna Price and Karrie Hagedorn both competed in all seven races last season and placed in all of them.

However, the runners' performances are not the only essentials to both teams' success. Coach Randy Rau's training and expertise will be a determining factor as well.

Having coached the Gaels for seven years, Rau has already made significant marks in Gael cross country history. Upon his arrival in 1999, he led the men's team to a second place finish in the WCC and was named WCC Coach of the Year.

Throughout the following years, four of Rau's runners were selected to the All-WCC team, one runner was named Freshman of the Year, and records were shattered- with 29 out of the 30 fastest times in Gael history recorded by runners under his guidance.

With a few new faces, Gael cross country desires to move the program in the right direction. Rau said, "They all want to improve. We all want to get better."

Gael cross country will officially start their season this weekend at the Aggie Invitational in Davis, CA . "It's a new season and a new team. We're excited and ready to race," said Rau.

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