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Familiar names in new places should pace the Cross Country teams
The winds of change are abound this time of year and life in the land of the Sea~Hawks Cross Country teams is no different. Due in large part to athletes beginning their professional careers only three athletes return from both of Memorial's Atlantic University Sport (AUS) third place teams. Laura Lawes, Victoria Ralph and second year runner Melanie Amminson. As for the men, every member of the 2010 AUS third place team has moved on to a full time career. However, for all the change the Cross Country teams have experienced they may be two of the strongest teams in a couple of seasons. Both young teams will test their mettle this weekend as Coach Art Meaney and his Sea~Hawks will travel to Wolfville, Nova Scotia for their first race of the 2011 season.
Women's Cross Country
The women's team runs into this weekend's 5km with a fairly familiar name leading the way. Caroline McIlroy is officially a Sea~Hawk and Coach Meaney is rather optimistic about the possibilities her experience will bring. McIlroy entering as Master of Science student intends to focus her academic energy in the field of Geophysics while competing for the Sea~Hawks. Caroline recently recorded a 17 minute 5km at the 2011 Provincial Championship. The veteran coach anticipates she will challenge for the top spot at the 2011 AUS Championships. Dual athlete Victoria Ralph returns this year, and she is joined by fellow wrestler Lindsay Oldham who also carries a well rounded running resume as she has often chosen vacation destinations just to run in the local marathons. Melanie Amminson, Laura Lawes, and Melissa Campbell all return this season looking to improve upon their third place finish at the 2010 AUS championships. Campbell missed out on the Championships last season due to work and school commitments but her competitive fire has her focused on being their every step of the way in 2011. Amminson will be running in just her second race as a Sea~Hawk while veteran runner Lawes is looking to bounce back after an injury riddled road season. The travel team this weekend is rounded out by newcomer Courtney Munn. The Fredericton native is an all around athlete who has really found her comfort level with running. The Sea~Hawks supporting cast of young up and comers Priscilla Rideout, Skye Fisher and first year Medical Student Laura Michaud, also from Fredericton come with tremendous potential and a work ethic that will only push the Sea~Hawks as they strive to win a team championship this season. The ladies will need to remain poised and focussed in order to achieve the team goals in 2011, watch for veteran Laura Lawes to keep this team hungry for more success.
Men's Cross Country
How does an experienced coach cope with losing AUS All Star and reigning Frank Butler Award winner for Athlete of the Year, Sean Hulburt as well as the team that won third place at the 2010 AUS Championships? The answer is in the question, he relies on his experience. Meaney heads into this weekend's opening race at Acadia with a lot of new names and faces to running fans. The veteran coach who always has his eye on the talent that comes to Memorial knows that last year's squad brought a lot of heart and hustle while this year's men's team will be young and very talented. Leading the way will be a veteran runner Mark Hayward who had to sit out last year due to eligibility rules as he returned from Trent University to pursue his Masters degree. Master of Science student Graham MacDonald of Halifax brings his tenacious work ethic and level of fitness to the team while third year runner Jonathan Slaney returns to Varsity athletics this season after red shirting on the Swim team in 2010. He chose swimming last season so he could become a better tri-athlete. The move paid off as he is coming off a successful run of triathlons from Newfoundland through to Ontario. Also joining the guys this weekend will be the well travelled Rudy Riedlsperger of Austria. Rudy is a Master of Arts Student who came to MUN after spending sometime in Alaska attending university and found MUN through a job advertisement. The young guns of this men's team and the three guys that the next five years of Sea~Hawks running will be built around are Nick Snow, Landon Fisher and Jordan Fewer. Snow a promising young runner and future Academic All Canadian hopes that his experiences with various injuries last season have provided him with the knowledge of how to stay running. Fisher should benefit from having some older athletes around him as his talent will be something to reckon with as he gains more experience. Young Fewer is reminiscent of his uncle and assistant coach Colin Fewer but watch for Jordan to achieve his own goals and create his own name and reputation predicated on team work and a strong desire to succeed with his teammates. The new faces excite Meaney because the energy and drive is very apparent and has him hoping that this turns out to be the best men's team in recent history.
The 2011 Cross Country season should be an exciting one, there will be growing pains but Coach Art Meaney feels that he has a great combination of young and up and coming athletes and experienced individuals who are driven to go further and faster than teams in recent history. Both teams travel to Acadia this weekend and on October 15th race at Dalhousie University in the 5km and 8km races. Both races are in preparation for the 2011 AUS 5km and 10km Championships in Fredericton, New Brunswick on October 29.
The Sea~Hawks will be hosting their own 5km race on October 23. This will be the 3rd Annual MUN Run and an opportunity for these athletes to compete in front of their home crowd as well as fundraise for a Cross Country scholarship.