Men's Cross Country Set To Welcome Back Veteran Squad As Skyhawks Prepare For Defense Of Northeast-10 Title
August 10, 2005
Let there be no doubt that Stonehill has officially arrived on the regional and national men?s cross country scene after two years of stellar performances and accomplishments.
Head Coach Karen Boen?s crew followed up its brilliant performance at the 2003 NCAA Division II national championships by earning its first-ever Northeast-10 Conference title last fall, as the Skyhawks finished second at the NCAA Northeast Regional championships and 16th at the 2004 Division II national championships. Along the way, Boen coached seven all-conference and all-regional performers, including her second All-America athlete in as many years.
With a core group of 10 returning veterans back, the prospects for success are just as good in 2005 for Stonehill, as four all-conference performers are back as part of a returning group that includes one senior, one junior and eight sophomores.
Leading the way is senior T.J. Smith (East Bridgewater, Mass./East Bridgewater), who became the program?s second all-New England performer last October. Smith finished sixth at both the Northeast-10 and NCAA Northeast Regional championships and placed 81st individually at last year?s NCAA Division II national championships. Sophomore Khalid Abdi (Brockton, Mass./Brockton), the 2004 Northeast-10 Freshman of the Year, is also back in the fold after placing fifth at the conference championships and 10th at the regional championships, as he leads a talented Skyhawk Class of 2008 that also includes all-conference and all-regional honorees David Metzger (Ellington, Conn./Ellington) and Richard Gerry (Bow, N.H./Bow). Metzger placed eighth at both the Northeast-10 and NCAA Northeast Regional championships, while Gerry was 14th individually at the conference championship.
The return of two individuals who did compete in 2004 will also bolster Stonehill?s chances this fall, as sophomore Keith Gill (Brockton, Mass./Brockton), last year?s Northeast-10 Indoor Track Freshman of the Year, and senior Joe Soul (Carver, Mass./Carver) are back and ready to impact the Skyhawks as well.
Junior Tim Catoggio (Bradford, Mass./Haverhill) is the lone member of the Class of 2007 returning to Boen?s squad this fall, while the sophomore quartet of Ryan Gattoni (East Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich), Joe Ryan (Chelmsford, Mass./Chelmsford), Kyle Sousa (North Dighton, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth) and David Wasserman (East Hampton, Conn./East Hampton) will also be looking to impact. Catoggio took top individual honors for Stonehill last October at the Bryant Invitational.
The Skyhawks are set to take flight in search of their second straight Northeast-10 title on Saturday, September 10th when Stonehill heads to Hanover, N.H. to participate in the Dartmouth Invitational at 10:30 a.m. EDT.
