Cross Country Teams Head to Colgate for Patriot League Championships

The American University men's and women's cross country teams are set to compete in the 2009 Patriot League Championships on the Harry Lang Cross Country Course in Hamilton, N.Y. on Saturday, October 31.  Both teams have high expectations after a successful regular season and are looking to capture both the team and individual titles.

On the men's side, the Eagles will be led by junior Colin Eustis, who has continued to have an impressive 2009 campaign.  Most recently, he finished 20^th overall in a very competitive field at the UVA Panorama Farms Invite in a new personal record time of 24:20.03.  He will be joined on the starting line by classmates Jeff Brannigan and Conor Sullivan, sophomores Craig Brown, Josh Olsen, and Ryan Williams, and freshman Mark Leininger.  The team is looking for its seventh conference title in eight years after finishing 4^th in the team competition in 2008.

The women's team is looking to build upon its fifth place finish from a year ago. The Eagles will be led by sophomore standout Octavia Rinehardt, who most recently finished 19^th at the UVA Panorama Farms Invite in a time of 21:45.11.  Seniors Rachel Forcino and Greta Wicklund are also set to race, along with sophomore Lauren Scholl and freshman Natalie Omundson.

The men's 8K race is scheduled to start at 11 a.m., with the women's 6K race following at noon.