Men’s Cross Country to Open 2007 Season at Marywood

HOBOKEN, N.J. (August 30, 2007) – Leading the Stevens Institute of Technology men’s and women’s cross country teams to two invitational titles apiece in 2006, Head Coach John Crawford (Seattle, Wash.) has high intentions of guiding both his teams to finish as one of the Top-15 squads in the Atlantic Region for 2007. Having finished first at both the Highlander and Stevens Invitational, as well as second at the Skyline Conference Championship last year, Crawford is determined to have his men run to this year’s high level of expectations.

“I’m looking to continue improving the quality of our program here at Stevens,” said Crawford. “This is going to be our most successful season yet. For this year, I expect that our fifth runner will run as fast as our first did last season.”

There is no doubt that Coach Crawford has set the bar high for his men. Having 11 returning upperclassmen as well as 11 new faces to the men’s team for 2007, there is much in store for the squad as they enter the competitive Empire 8 conference. 

“We are very excited about moving into the Empire 8. RIT, Ithaca and Nazareth perennially compete at the national level and this will be a great challenge for our men and women to embrace,” said Crawford.

2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection Michael Hoffman (Franklin Township, N.J.) will be expected to bring senior leadership as co-captain for the Ducks. At the Highlander Invitational, Hoffman led his team placing second overall with a time of 27:59 in the 8k run. He continued his excellence during the Skyline Championship Meet by placing fifth overall with a time of 28:36 and earned the sixth spot on Stevens all-time top times.

Stevens will also turn to co-captain Philip Mainwaring (Washington, Pa.) for additional senior guidance after his impressive junior year where he led Stevens to a second-place finish at the Vassar College Invitational and third-place finish at Marywood University Invitational. During the Skyline Championship Meet, Mainwaring secured himself the seventh spot on Stevens all-time top times at Van Cortlandt Park.

Much is expected from the Ducks’ captains as they lead their team towards their quest of being within the Top-15 in the Atlantic Region.  “Both Mike and Phil had great summers training volumes of 60-70 miles per week. This coming on the heels of outstanding track and field seasons bodes well for a powerful fall of cross country,” said Crawford.

Senior Joseph Fullam (New Paltz, N.Y.) will anchor the men’s Top-five after his stellar season finishing third and fourth overall in the Highlander and NYU Invitationals, respectively. At the Skyline Championship meet in Van Cortlandt Park, Fullam earned himself the eighth spot on Stevens all-time top times by clocking 28:49.

Key contributors Kevin Morgera (West Nyack, N.Y.), Matthew Caulfield (Lake Hiawatha, N.J.), and John Hoffman (Franklin Township, N.J.) will bring experience and depth to the squad. Caulfield spent his summer doing academic research as well as training on the prestigious Pre’s Trail in Eugene, Ore.

A new face to the Ducks’ squad for this fall is standout Bucknell transfer John Barnes (Bayside Queens, N.Y.), who has been running with the leaders at every outing. Kevin Sampson (Manasquan, N.J.), Michael Pawalowski (Nutley, N.J), Steven Chick (Edison, N.J.) and Juan Carlos Coronel (Ridgefield Park, N.J.) are the leading newcomers looking to make an impact and compete for the top-seven varsity positions.

Stevens opens the 2007 season with a meet at Marywood University in Scranton, Pa. at 10 a.m. on Saturday.