Mixed Results at Big East Championships

Don't let the numbers fool you. Despite mixed results at last weekend's Big East Championship meet in New York City, the Friars are not a team to write off. Even though the team has battled injury and illness since the fall Cross Country season, Head Coach Ray Treacy is not worried about his teams' potential for the final meets of the indoor season and the beginning of the outdoor track season.

"Everything had finally come together the week before," said Treacy. "But when you get hit like that [with illness], you don't have control of the situation."

Treacy is referring to his men's team, which for the second time this season has been depleted due to the flu. Standout Dominic Channon '12 fell ill after coming off his 4:02.32 mile at the Valentine Invitational two days prior; an illness that not only affected Channon, but also the entire men's team.

"[Channon] probably would have been the top seed in the mile, but we could only run him in the 800-meter race because of his sickness," said Treacy, confident that time off will cure Channon's ailments and prepare him for a promising outdoor season.

The Friars who were healthy enough to run, namely Tom Webb '10 and Julian Matthews '12, performed well, with Matthews running a 4:13.32 mile to capture ninth place while Webb '10 covered the 5,000-meter race in 14:19.16, crossing the line in ninth place. Also running well for the men's squad was the distance medley team, earning a fifth place finish behind Channon, Matthew, Alan Pandiani ‘10G and Richard Yeates ‘10G. Missing from action was Lee Carey ‘12, who has battled a nagging calf injury since the Valentine Invitational. Carey will join classmate Channon in resting for the remainder of the indoor season to ensure full health and fitness for the 2010 outdoor season.

Shelby Greany '13 followed her Junior Cross Country National Championship in Spokane, WA with a fifth place finish in the 3,000-meter, crossing the line in 9:28.23, earning the NCAA Provisional qualification standard in the process.

"This is the first time in the last 20 years that a freshman has led the team," said Treacy. "Shelby is having a great season. To come off a cross country race and score in an indoor race is a fantastic result."

Following Greany in the 3,000-meter race was graduate student Katie DiCamillo, crossing the line in sixth place and Breffini Twohig '10, who placed ninth overall. DiCamillo and Twohig earned the ECAC qualification standard. In arguably the toughest conference for distance runners, the Friars raced well and look strong heading into this weekend's New England Championship meet.

Boston University will play host to this weekend's New England Championship meet. The Friars' trip to Boston University marks the third time this season that the Friars have raced on the Terriers' track.