Recent Contributions from Zack Slabotsky

Men’s, Women’s Cross Country Finish Sixth at Regionals

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Despite their best efforts, the men’s and women’s cross country teams both came up short in their attempts to qualify for Nationals at the NCAA Northeast Regional championships over the weekend. The Red finished in sixth place on both the men’s and women’s sides of the competition, which was hosted by Columbia at Van Cortlandt Park in New York City.

Although Cornell fell short of its lofty goals, seniors Zac Hine and Marie Parks and sophomore Adrien Dannemiller earned All-Region honors by placing in the top-25 of their respective races.

Men, Women Look to Outperform Rankings

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

After a two week layoff, the cross country postseason continues for the Red. After finishing third and fourth, respectively, at Heps, the men’s and women’s cross country teams will return to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx for the NCAA Division I Northeast Regional.

Seven members of each squad will compete at the meet. The top five scores for each team count and the top-2 teams automatically qualify for the NCAA National Championships. The NCAA also awards at-large bids, usually to no more than two teams from the Northeast Region.

Saying Goodbye To Your One And Only

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Breaking up can be enormously emotional. I’ve had flings in the past, but no bond had ever lasted as long or been as powerful as my most recent attachment. Since the summer of 2002, I had been faithful to one person. On Monday, that person was taken away from me.

Tigers Top Both Men and Women at Heps

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Despite valiant efforts by the cross country teams, the Red was no match for the Princeton Tigers this weekend. Cornell’s men’s and women’s teams both placed in the top half of the Ivy League standings, but neither was able to match the Tigers at the Heptagonal Championships in New York City on Friday.

On the men’s side, the Red slipped one spot from its ranking last year and finished behind Princeton and Columbia. The Tigers won the Ivy League crown for the second straight year, tallying 58 points. Columbia finished just behind Princeton with 61 points. The Red was third with 75.

“We were hoping for a higher finish, but the other two teams in front of us ran great races,” said senior Zac Hine. “It wasn’t what we wanted, but we ran as hard as we could.”

Cross Country Heads to New York City for Annual Heps

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The men’s and women’s cross country teams have finally arrived at the weekend they have been preparing for all season long. The Ivy League cross country championships — known as Heps — will be held today in New York City. Crossing the New York countryside: The Red has 12 men and 12 women representing the squad at the Ivy League cross country championships in New York City.

The men finished second to Princeton a year ago and would probably be pleased if they are able to match that result. Princeton once again looks like the team to beat in the conference, but the Red has a strong contingent of runners poised to finish near the top of the Ivy League standings once again.

Red Finishes Regular Season With Local Race

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:06:05 -0400

In the final race of the regular season, the men’s and women’s cross country teams took on local competition as Cornell hosted the 22nd Annual John Reif Memorial Run. Both teams showed strong depth, as the Red boasted impressive results despite the fact that many of the top runners were resting in preparation for Heps.

The men had two separate races on Friday. In the five-mile race, freshman Chandler Kemp led the way for Cornell and showed why he has a good chance of making a Heps squad sometime in the next few years. He placed fourth among the 26-runner field. Juniors Dan Cerqueira and Kyle Wolpert finished fifth and sixth, respectively.

Preparing for Heps, Relaxed Red Hosts Reif Memorial Run

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Cornell will host the Reif Memorial Run today on the Moakley Course, as the men’s and women’s cross country teams wrap up the regular season and get set for Heps, which will take place next weekend. Both teams will rest their top runners, but there is still some intrigue with the race.

On the women’s side, most of the 12-person team that will compete at Heps is set, and those runners who have secured a spot on the team will have the weekend off to rest. There are still a few spots that are unsettled and the runners still battling for the final spots will look to make a strong impression in the race.

“People that are kind of on the borderline have to have good races to ensure their spot at Heps,” said senior Katie Roll, who will race today.

Cross Country Holds Own Against Elite Competition

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

At the Pre-National Invitational in Terry Haute, Ind., the men’s and women’s cross country teams both proved that they are capable of competing at the highest level. In a field littered with nationally ranked teams, the Cornell men placed 16th out of 40 teams. On the women’s side, the Red placed 22nd of 41.

The Cornell women were led by senior Marie Parks. Parks raced away from any of her teammates and finished the 6K event in 21:24.4, which was more than 30 seconds faster than any of her teammates’ times. She earned 63rd place individually in a field of nearly 300 runners. Feel the burn: The men’s cross country team showed its strength against several nationally-ranked squads in Indiana this weekend.

Tough Competition Awaits Cross Country

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The men’s and women’s cross country teams will attempt to divide and conquer this weekend. On the men’s side, the team will be split into two squads — eight members of the team will travel to Terre Haute, Ind., while the rest of the team makes the journey to Pennsylvania.

The eight members of the Red heading to Indiana will compete in the Pre-National Invitational, which will be hosted by Indiana State University on Saturday. The race is annually one of the most competitive collegiate cross country meets and nationally ranked teams flock to Indiana to see how they stack up against other elite squads. Last year, Cornell placed 18th among the 40 teams at the meet.

Quitting ESPN Cold Turkey

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The process was gradual. It did not happen overnight and it cannot be pinned on a specific Stephen A. Smith rant. However, after more than three years of deteriorating programming, ESPN has successfully alienated one of the world’s biggest sports fans from its network of television stations.

Cross Country Sophomore Leads Red Pack at Lehigh

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The football players were not the only Cornellians to compete admirably at Lehigh over the weekend. Although they were unable to match the thrilling victory that their counterparts on the gridiron earned, the men’s and women’s cross country teams both competed admirably in Bethlehem.

Stay Close: In the 8k course at Lehigh this past weekend, sophomore Adrien Dannemiller finished with the Red’s top time, while five of his teammates completed the race within 33 seconds of Dannemiller’s 20th place finish. The men finished fifth overall.

W. Cross Country Looks to Rebound

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In the past five years, the women’s cross country team has finished in the bottom half of the Ivy League standings all but once — a third-place finish in 2006. Last year, the team sunk to seventh place in the ancient eight, its worst finish in years. The Red had not finished that low at Heps since 1989, when the team finished seventh in a 10-team field that included Army and Navy. Despite the team’s recent struggles, the Red appears poised to restore pride to a program that captured four Ivy League championships during the ’90s.

Cross Country Finishes Second

Zack Slabotsky — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The women’s cross country team placed second among the 21 teams that competed in the Iona Meet of Champions on Saturday. The Red’s five runners placed among the top-24 finishers at the race, which was held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Cornell was led by senior Marie Parks, who had the fifth best individual time among the 224 competitors in the field. She clocked in with a time of 22:14.2 on the 6000-meter course.

“I was pretty excited,” Parks said. “I was more happy with how close our top-5 people were on the team.”

Senior captain Aeriel Emig also said she was pleased with how well the team’s top runners performed.

Cross Country Continues Dominance Against Army

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The men’s and women’s cross country teams opened their seasons by dominating their competition at West Point, N.Y. The Black Knights proved no match for the Red, as Cornell men took the top-6 spots in their meet. The women claimed nine of the 10 fastest finishes, including each of the top-3.

On the men’s side, Cornell simply outran Army. Army senior Jonathan Anderson was the lone member of the Black Knights to finish among the top-12.

“I thought the team ran really strong,” said senior Zac Hine. “We had a really strong pack up front. A lot of the younger guys ran really well.”

Sophomore Adrien Dannemiller won the 8000-meter race with his time of 26:55.70.

Cross Country Looking to Make Progress in Ivy League

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As the fall season of collegiate sports gets under way, the men’s and women’s cross country teams are both eager to show off their respective talents. While the men’s team looks to build upon a successful 2007 campaign, the women’s team has aspirations of making a move up the Ivy League standings.

The women’s team is poised to improve dramatically on last season’s results. All of last year’s top performers are returning to the squad with an additional year of experience and training under their belts.

Red Tops Bearcats For 40-Win Season

Zack Slabotsky — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The softball team (40-10, 16-4 Ivy) completed its season last night with a sweep of Binghamton. The Red took two from its in-state rival and sent the seniors off on a high note.

As recently as Sunday, however, the Red was hoping that the games with Binghamton would serve as a tune-up for an Ivy League championship series against Harvard. That was not the case, due to a 1-3 weekend record against Princeton, which dropped the Red to The softball team (40-10, 16-4 Ivy) completed its season last night with a sweep of Binghamton. The Red took two from its in-state rival and sent the seniors off on a high note.

Softball Loses Doubleheader, Ends Season in Second Place

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

At the very least, the softball team made things interesting. The Red squared off against the Princeton Tigers in a thrilling four-game weekend series. A spot opposite Harvard in the Ivy League playoffs was on the line. Momentum shifted back and forth between the two South Division rivals all weekend, but the Tigers eventually prevailed against the Red.

Softball Takes On Fellow No. 1 Princeton

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

When does a team on a 20-game win streak get so antsy in anticipation of its next games that its players lose sleep days in advance? When those upcoming games will make or break its season.

“I don’t think any of us have been able to go to bed at night without thinking about it,” said sophomore Elise Menaker. “We’ve been waiting for this all season.”

Softball Moves Into League Tie for First

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Eighteen wins in a row. At this point, the softball team (35-7, 15-1 Ivy) has probably forgotten how it feels to lose, and this weekend was no different. In four games this weekend, Cornell dominated Columbia (12-29, 3-13 Ivy) in every aspect of the game.

“Everybody loves to win and just to be on this win streak and feel as confident as we do is really great for all of us,” said sophomore Devon March.

In the Red’s first game Saturday, the team’s winning streak initially appeared to be in jeopardy. The offense struggled early and the Lions took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning. In that inning, the Red offense transformed from “struggling” to “unstoppable.”

Softball Sweeps Again, Still Game Out of First

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The softball team (29-7, 11-1 Ivy) has been rather busy lately. Yesterday, the team completed its 12th game in a span of just nine days. The Red has been able to maintain its momentum through the relentless schedule, however, as the team completed the 12-game stretch undefeated. This past weekend, Cornell swept a four-game series against the hosting Penn Quakers.

The team’s current win streak is its longest since it won 18 in a row en route to the 2004 NCAA playoffs.

Sophomore Menaker Stands Out In Softball’s Sweep of Bonnies

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Seven innings was not enough to determine a winner in either of yesterday’s softball games between Cornell and St. Bonaventure. The Red continued its recent habit of never giving up as the home team swept a doubleheader with the Bonnies at Niemand Robison Field.

Though trailing late in both games, Cornell (23-7, 5-1 Ivy) prevailed by scores of 5-3 and 7-6 in two games that each lasted eight innings.

Of the ten members of the Red to step to the plate in Game 1 yesterday, nine of them combined for just six hits, one walk and zero RBI. Fortunately for Cornell, those totals do not include the production from sophomore third baseman Elise Menaker, who ended the day with three home runs.

Red to Take Advantage of Home Field Weather

Zack Slabotsky — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The softball team owes a thank you to the scheduling gods. Cornellians are enjoying the nicest Ithaca weather of 2008 and the Red has doubleheaders today and tomorrow at home where the team will actually be able to take advantage of the friendly conditions.

Cornell (21-7, 7-1 Ivy) will host St. Bonaventure (8-12) in a doubleheader this afternoon on Niemand-Robison Field. Last year, the teams were set to faceoff in St. Bonaventure; however the games were canceled due to inclement weather. The Bonnies prevailed in both of its games against the Red last season. St. Bonaventure won the first contest 7-5 before winning the finale 7-6 in extra innings for the sweep.

Softball Takes Two Doubleheaders From Ivy League Foes

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

A stellar weekend for the softball team has established the Red as a serious contender for the Ivy League crown. The Red displayed its balanced by not merely winning all of its games, but winning them in a variety of ways. The Red swept Brown and then Yale by scores of 6-1, 2-1, 7-3 and 11-7, respectively. Cornell faced an early deficit in three of the four games.

“I think that playing as many as games as we did in Florida and Virginia really prepared us well for what we’ve been facing lately,” said head coach Dick Blood.

Softball Unfazed by Uncooperative Weather

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400

This past weekend, winter weather in Ithaca made it impossible for a spring sport to take place. The softball team was supposed to play its first home games of the season; however Mother Nature had other plans and the scheduled doubleheaders against Ivy foes Harvard and Dartmouth were postponed.

The games against Harvard have been re-scheduled and are set to take place tomorrow. More inclement weather hit upstate New York yesterday and as a result, the doubleheader against Siena, which was supposed to take place today, has been postponed.

Last season, Harvard won the Ivy League Championship after finishing tied with Penn at 14-6 in conference games. The Crimson prevailed in the Ivy League Championship games against the Quakers.

Red Sports Deeper Rotation, Lineup

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In 2007, the Red posted its best winning percentage in three years and developed a strong nucleus of young hitters. This year, the team hopes to continue to improve and make a run at the Ivy League title later in the spring. The team’s biggest strength may be the fact that it is well-rounded and does not have a discernable weak spot anywhere on the roster. Below is a breakdown of the team as it looks to improve on last year’s 35-14 record, which included a 13-7 record against Ivy League foes.

Catching

Freshman Hurlers Round Out Solid Rotation

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In 2007, the Red offense was led by an outstanding freshman class. Alyson Intihar and Elise Menaker, now both sophomores, finished first and second in home runs and RBIs, respectively. Of the eleven members of the Red expected to make the biggest impact on the team’s offense this year, five were freshmen a season ago.

This season’s freshman class is making its presence felt in a different way. Two of the team’s top-3 pitchers are freshmen Ali Tomlinson and Elizabeth Dalrymple. Through the team’s first 22 games, the two freshmen standouts each boast ERAs well below 3.00 and have combined to pitch over half of the team’s innings.

Red Harriers Impress at NCAAs

Zack Slabotsky — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Ivy League Player of the Year in women’s basketball has also shown an ability to excel on the track. Junior Jeomi Maduka, a star on the women’s basketball team, earned All-American honors in the long jump just hours before leading the Red to an Ivy League title-clinching win against Dartmouth.

Maduka had jumped 21—2 inches at Heps. She placed eighth at Nationals with a jump of 20-05.25. Junior Brittney Reese of Mississippi won the competition, which took place in Fayetteville, Ark.

Dealing With the Elements: Track Season Transition

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In a few days, most Cornell students will make the transition from morning classes and late-night studying to relaxation and possibly a bit of partying. For the men’s and women’s track teams, this week will include a different transition. Just as the indoor track season wraps up, the athletes must abandon the heated confines of Barton Hall and head to the Robert J. Kane Sports Complex as the sport moves to its outdoor season.

This Friday and Saturday, qualified members of the Red will compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships in the final competition of the indoor season. That same Saturday, the outdoor season begins, and the track team will compete in the first of the two California-based events that the team is preparing for.

Softball Dominates in Tournament Outings

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Rain may have kept the Red from playing most of its games this past weekend, but the inclement weather did nothing to stop the team’s momentum. All of the softball team’s games on Friday and Saturday were canceled for weather related reasons, but when the team finally took the field on Sunday, it dominated its competition in the Spartan Classic.

Cornell defeated Norfolk State and Delaware by scores of 9-0 and 8-2, respectively.Big Red rocket: Senior ace Jenna Meunier was instrumental in the Red’s win, pitching a 4 1/3 inning no-hitter.

Harriers Bring New Faces to IC4As, ECACs

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

In 2007, the indoor IC4As marked a historic success for the men’s track team. The Red earned first-place honors among the 53-team field, winning the event for the first time since 1930. Cornell was the first Ivy League university to win the competition in more than three decades.

This weekend, Cornell hopes to repeat its success in Boston. The IC4As are designed to crown a champion from the more than 70 schools that comprise the Eastern College Athletic Conference, of which Cornell is a member. Last year, Cornell tallied 50 points to beat out Seton Hall and Georgetown, which accumulated 45 and 42 points, respectively.

Red Looks to Uphold Winning Tradition at Spartan Classic

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

One year ago, the softball team (3-1) used the Spartan Classic to improve to a school-record 10-0 record. The Red won all six games in Norfolk, Va., winning three games by one run each and winning the other three games by an average of six runs.

Like last year, the Red will face Niagara, Delaware, and host Norfolk State. Cornell will open the weekend today with games against St. Francis and Morgan State, two teams it did not face a year ago.

“We expect to do pretty well,” said sophomore Dana Robbins. “We know that there will be competition down there so we’ll have to work hard, but it’s a great way to get ready for the upcoming Ivy season.”

Men’s Track Is Ivy Champion

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Men’s basketball was not the only Cornell squad to capture an Ivy League Championship over the weekend. Yesterday, the men’s track team captured the indoor Heps team championship at Barton Hall. The Red have won seven of the last eight Ivy League titles, winning for the third time in four years indoors to go along with four consecutive outdoor championships. The women were not as fortunate, however, as their streak of 12 consecutive Heps titles came to an end at the hands of Princeton.

The men accumulated a team score of 205 points, well ahead of second place Princeton, which tallied 149. Yale and Dartmouth finished third and fourth, respectively, with scores in the 50s.

Men’s, Women’s Track Host Heps, Aim for First-Place Finish

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

For months, the men’s and women’s track teams have been preparing for the Heps championships, the event which determines the Ivy League Championship. For weeks, the athletes discussed each meet as if it were merely a stepping-stone in the climb toward the indoor Heps. For days, the Red has been making certain that each of its athletes is in peak condition to excel at the championships. Now, the Red is just hours away from what they describe as the biggest meet of their season.

Cornell Dominates at Heps Tune-Up

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

In their final meet before Heps, the men’s and women’s track teams continued to demonstrate why they are among the nation’s better teams. Cornell hosted the Marc Deneault Memorial Invitational over the weekend, welcoming Ithaca College, Rochester University, St. Lawrence and several other schools to Barton Hall on Saturday.

Both the men and women had the MVPs of the Invite. Junior Eric Roneker won his second straight MVP for the men, while sophomore Jessica Weyman took home MVP honors for the women. Roneker won the weight throw and shot put, while Weyman won the 300-meter dash — an event in which the Red took the top-4 spots — with the second-best time in school history.

Men’s, Women’s Harriers Leave Behind Competition

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

While the men’s basketball team has captivated the student body with its success this season, the men’s and women’s track teams continue to excel under the radar at Cornell. Cornell hosted the Robert J. Kane Invitational this past weekend and both squads dominated the competition.

M. Track Relays Continue Tradition of Success

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

As talented as many of the individuals on the men’s track team are, the collective team may be stronger than the sum of its parts. The team has won five consecutive outdoor Heps championships, as well as three of the previous five indoor Heps titles.

The team’s recent success is due largely to the team’s depth, as the Red always boasts dozens of the elite track competitors in the Ivy League. The team’s great depth this year has become most evident in the relay events.

The indoor track season features three different relay competitions: the 4x400 meter relay race, the 4x800 meter relay race, and the distance medley race. The Red has recently had success in all three events.

Harriers Dominate Competition at Cornell Invitational

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The men’s and women’s track teams had no trouble dominating the competition at the Cornell Invitational on Saturday. Despite playing host to 25 schools, along with numerous unattached individual competitors, both squads were able to win more than 10 events. The men also set two school records along the way.

The Red women were victorious in 13 different events on Saturday, completely outperforming the other teams at the meet. Freshman Mecha Santos won the 200-meter dash and placed second in the 60-meter dash. Classmate Lauren Tanz finished second in the 60-meter hurdles, just behind senior tri-captain Joan Casey. Casey won the event with at time of 8.85 seconds.

Saidu Ezike Hurdles Past Cornell

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Liberia is a small country on the western coast of Africa that Cornell students may or may not know much about. The Olympics, on the other hand, is something everyone is very familiar with. As a result of family ties with the aforementioned Liberia, one Cornell student has a chance to eventually compete in the Olympics.

Cornell senior Saidu Ezike is the first member of his immediate family who was born in the United States. His parents and his older brother are Liberian and consequentially, Ezike has an opportunity to pursue dual citizenship. If he does, he would immediately become one of the fastest hurdlers among Liberian citizens and would have a chance to earn a spot on the Liberian national team.

Harriers Compete In NYC, at Penn St.

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0500

track team will attempt to do something the New York Knicks struggle with: succeed in Madison Square Garden. Select members of the Red are in New York City today to compete in the Millrose Games, which will be broadcast on ESPN2. The rest of the men’s squad will join the women as they head to Penn St. for the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup.

Seniors Aaron Merrill, Adam Seabrook, Mike Smayda and Ian Ward, juniors Jay Harding and Marcel van Eeden, sophomore Charlie Hatch and freshman Cody Boyd will represent the Red at the Millrose Games. The Red will try to improve on a pair of fourth-place finishes from a year ago, as the runners will compete in the 4X400 and 4X800 relay events today.

M. Track Prevails; W. Track Falls Short

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The men’s and women’s track teams continued their impressive starts to the season with strong showings at the Harvard Select Meet on Saturday. For the second consecutive weekend, the men prevailed against a field of challengers.

After easily winning the Upstate Challenge on Jan. 19, the Red faced much steeper competition this past weekend in Cambridge, Mass. UConn won five events en route to amassing 152 points as a team. Cornell trailed the Big East foe most of the day, but a late surge allowed the Red to finish with 163 points and a team victory.

“It was nice to win, but we didn’t have the great performances that we wanted,” said junior high jumper Garrett Huyler. “[We had] a bunch of average performances and we were looking for some standout performances.”

Men’s, Women’s Track Begin Season With Cornell Relays

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

The men’s and women’s track teams begin their seasons tomorrow when the Red hosts the Cornell Relays. Last year, the Cornell men and women won an impressive nine events each while competing against 17 other schools in the Cornell Relays. The Red will look for similar results this season.

The competition will be the Red’s first meet of the season and the team will not compete again in 2007.

XC Finishes Season

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

For the first time since 2004, a Cornellian will participate at the men’s NCAA Division I championships. In 2004, Bruce Hyde represented the Red and finished 27th in a field of 242 of the nation’s fastest collegians. Next Monday, senior Sage Canaday will travel to Indiana to participate in the competition hosted by Indiana State University.

“Just being there is an honor,” Canaday said. “I’m definitely thankful that I qualified and that I can be there to represent Cornell, but I’d like to do well to represent Cornell.”

Cross Country Performs Well at Regionals

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Temperatures may be cooling in Ithaca as winter approaches, but the cross country season is just heating up. On Saturday, the men’s and women’s cross country teams competed in NCAA Division I New England Regional championships.

The men’s side followed up its impressive second-place showing at Heps with an equally impressive fifth-place performance at Regionals. The Red finished among the elite schools in a 34-team field in what many consider the toughest region in the nation.

Cornell’s team score of 193 points was just behind Ivy rival Brown. Cornell finished ahead of Brown at Heps and may have done the same at Regionals had freshman Adrien Dannemiller been healthy enough to complete the race.

Men's Track Poised to Repeate Last Year's Standout Performance

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500

According to senior co-captain Aaron Merrill, Cornell currently boasts one of the best men’s track teams the school has ever seen.

“I think we have a very good chance of winning both Heps and IC4As again this year,” he said. “If the guys on the team reach their goals, this could potentially be the best team Cornell has ever had.”

While those statements may sound bold, the roster is littered with individual Heps champions and has strong performers in every event.

Senior co-captains Adam Seabrook and Merrill have each won the 400-meter hurdle event at Heps in the past. Senior Saidu Ezike is a two-time Heps champion in the high hurdles.

Freshman Dannemiller Makes His Mark on XC

Zack Slabotsky — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Last Friday, the men’s cross country team competed at Heps, the Ivy League championships. After the Ancient Eight’s fastest individuals crossed the finish line, it became clear that upperclassmen hold a significant advantage over their competition.

With each year, runners gain a year of experience and a year of training to improve their strength and conditioning. At Heps, a junior finished first. Then came Cornell senior captain Sage Canaday, followed by a sophomore, a senior, a senior, another senior, and yet another senior. All in all, 12 of the first 25 finishers were seniors. Another seven were juniors and four more were sophomores. Just two of the top-25 finishers were freshmen.

Cross Country Heads To Heps in the Bronx

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

It’s the race they’ve been waiting for all season.

Today the men’s and women’s cross country teams will compete in the race they have been preparing for all season. Heps will take place early this afternoon at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Each school from the Ancient Eight will be represented in the conference’s cross country championships.

On the men’s side, an experienced squad is determined to build upon last season’s results. In 2006, the Red placed fifth among the eight schools. However, according to senior Jimmy Wyner, the team should have much more success this season.

XC Squads Run Through Rain, Host John Reif Meet

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The men’s and women’s cross country teams hosted the John Reif Memorial Run at the Moakley Course on Friday in their final race before the Heptagonal Championships. It rained throughout the women’s race, but stopped in time for the men to race later in the day, allowing freshman Nate Edelman to earn the last spot on the men’s Heps roster.

Both Cornell squads rested a majority of their top runners in hopes that they will have fresh legs for Heps. The men’s squad rested its top eleven runners, leaving an opportunity for the winner of Friday’s race to earn the 12th and final spot at Heps. The competing members of the Red put forth a strong effort before Edelman and sophomore Joel Frost-Tift eventually separated from the pack.

XC Earns Mixed Results

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Both men’s and women’s cross country continued to prepare for the Heptagonal championships by running against stiff competition at their respective meets this past weekend. The men’s team was among 40 teams at the Pre-Nationals, hosted by Indiana State, while the women’s team partook in the Penn State Invitational.

Cornell’s fastest men finished in 18th place among the 40 competing schools. Once again, senior co-captain Sage Canaday led the way for the Red. He completed the 8000 meter course in 24:09.

Classmate and fellow captain Jimmy Wyner finished just two seconds later as Canaday and Wyner placed 57th and 61st, respectively. Junior Zac Hine finished third among the Red and 84th overall.

Fresh Faces Provide Boost for Cross Country

Zack Slabotsky — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

What the women’s cross country team lacks in experience, it more than makes up for with talent. Two of its most talented runners hail from the freshman class. Rookie runners Kim Standridge and Katie Sullivan have led the way for the Red thus far this season.

In each of the team’s three races thus far this season, Standridge has finished first among Cornell runners.

“I’m very surprised,” she said. “I didn’t think that that was gonna happen, especially my freshman year. I was worried about not making the top-7.”

Sullivan has finished among the Red’s top-4 in each race, including third place in each of the team’s previous two races. Sophomore Stephanie Pancoast is the only other Cornell runner who has finished among the team’s top-4 finishers in every race.

Cross Country Earns Mixed Results

Zack Slabotsky — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The Cornell women are establishing a trend in letting young legs carry the team to success. This past Saturday, at the Iona Meet of Champions, two Red freshmen finished among the top 10 runners in a field of over 200. Cornell claimed second place in the 20 team field.

After winning her first ever collegiate meet, freshman Kim Standridge once again led the way for the Red. Discounting independent runners, Standridge finished fifth overall by running the 6k event in 22:15.9. She had the fastest time of any freshman in the field.

“I think Kim is a great girl,” said classmate Katie Sullivan. “She’s so fast, she’s incredibly talented and she works very hard. It’s so exciting that she’s doing so well.”