Large Reunion Coming in 2014

We will be having the third large W&M Track/Cross Country reunion on April 4-6 2014.   If you are interested in attending, please go here and fill in some preliminary information.  More information will be forthcoming (hotels, events, etc., but for now please put it on your calendar).   in 2011 we had 150 people at our reunion and almost that many in 2007.  We will be celebrating Dan Stimson's induction in the Hall of Fame and his 26 years at W&M.  

Massey 5 K Money Raised by Track Teams

Every year the W&M track and cross country teams team up for the Massey 5K which is in November.  Above is a video explains it.  This year the team raised $20,000 adding to the total $150,000 that has been raised in the past thirty years. 

NCAA Pictures

Here are twenty-seven pictures taken by Tim O'Dowd who graduated in 1979.  It sure beats the way Randy Hawthorne used to tape photos to the blackboard in the locker room a few days after the event (yes that is one more thing he has done for the team!). 

Balouris 11th, Team 12th at NCAA Meet

Senior Elaina Balouris finished 11th at the NCAA meet followed by Emily Stites in 46th, Meghan McGovern in 113th,  Michelle Britto in 122nd, Corolyn Hennesseey in 141st, Dylan Hassett in 167th and Erica Arnatori in 226th.   As a team the women performed better than all but the 1998 women's team with a 12th place finish.  The finish was six places higher than their ranking coming into the meet.

Thanks to Tim O'Dowd for the picture taken today of Balouris above.  More

Watch NCAA XC Meet Live on Sat

I am still getting used to the idea that the NCAA XC meet will not be on a Monday, but in fact on this Saturday.  Go here to watch it live at noon.  The men's race is at 11:55 am and the women's is at 1:10 pm (EST).

We tried tonight to do an interview and had some technical problems so I am hoping to do it again on Friday so you can see the excitement of the women's team before they race on Saturday.   

Women Reach 18th in Coaches' Poll

Jill Miller (and Steve Walsh, who is head of the track/XC programs) has led the women's team to two straight NCAA appearances in her three years at W&M - an impressive record to say the least.  Now the latest coaches' poll has the women ranked 18th in the US.  But with two very high scorers in Stites and Balouris, it seems likely that they will finish higher at the NCAA meet.  Look for an interview later this week with Miller and her two low scorers.

Men 6th at Southeast Region

The men's team finished 6th in the Southeast regional meet led by Josh Mercado in 29:57.  More

Women Make the NCAA Meet

Led by winner Emily Stites and six placer Elaina Boularis the women's team finished second in their regional meet earning a second straight trip to the NCAA meet.  Stites, by the way, is the first W&M woman ever to win a regional meet and she is only a sophomore.  More

Men & Women Win CAA Champs

The women's team went 1-5 to win the CAA championship in a perfect 15 point score.  Tribe senior All-American Elaina Balouris (Allison Park, Pa.) repeated as the individual champion, finishing in 21:17.11 just a stride ahead of sophomore All-American Emily Stites (Wyoming, Ohio) in 21:17.30.  Balouris is the first woman to win back-to-back conference titles since the Tribe's Emily Anderson '10 in 2008 and 2009.  SeniorMichelle Britto (Woodbridge, Va.) took the bronze medal in 21:36.73, and sophomore Meghan McGovern (North Wales, Pa.) was fourth in 21:44.61.  Junior Dylan Hassett (Alpharetta, Ga.) completed the sweep in fifth place, crossing the finish in 21:52.23.  More

The men's team won in the low score of 25 points stretching their streak to 14 straight years of winning the CAA.  Leading the way for the Tribe once again was Rad Gunzenhauser (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who finished second overall in 24:46.56.  Freshman Trevor Sleight (Asheville, N.C.) was the bronze medalist in 25:05.17, the best finish for a true freshman since All-American Christo Landry '08 was second in 2004.  Sophomore Ryan Gousse (Apopka, Fla.) was fifth in 25:16.66. More

Women Ranked 12th in US by Flotrack

Watch more video of NCAA Division I Pre-Nationals Invitational 2013 on flotrack.org

Flotrack ranked the W&M women 12th after Pre-Nationals.  Above is an interview with Emily Stites and Elaina Balouris

New Coach John Jefferson Talks to Flotrack

This is an interview with new W&M coach John Jefferson done by Flotrack and Pre-Nationals. 

Women 8th, Men 31st at Pre-Nationals

The women proved their top ranking in the US is legitimate with an 8th place finish at the Pre-Nationals meet in Terre Haute. Emily Stites finished eighth overall in 20:17.8. while  Elaina Balouris was 12th.  More

Rad Gunzenhauser led the team in 112th place with a 24:42 time.  More

Grey '11 Wins Minneapolis 10K

Jon Grey '11, who is training with Team Minnesota, won the Minneapolis weekend 10K in a course record 29:58 yesterday setting a course record.

Women 2nd, Men 8th at UVA Invite

The women's team cruised to a second place finish at the UVA Invitational with Elaina Balouris was first and Emily Stites coming in 1st and 3rd. but the third finisher not coming in until 18th.  The women are currently ranked 14th in the US.  More

The men finished 8th overall, 4th in VA - all behind divisional rivals which makes it tough for going to the NCAA meet.  Rad Gunzenhauser led the way Rad Gunzenhauser with an 8th place finish in 23:58.  More

Women's Preview

Balouris Talks w. Flotrack & Selected National Athlete of the Week

Elaina Balouris was selected at the national athlete of the week.  

Men 3rd, Women Win at Richmond

Junior Rad Gunzenhauser (Pittsburgh, Pa.) made himself right at home at Pole Green Park, running 15:02.3 to win the individual title for the second year in a row.  These two cross country wins bookended a year that saw Gunzenhauser win three track races, including the IC4A 5,000m indoors.  Sophomore Nathaniel Hermsmeier(Charlottesville, Va.) was second for the team and fifth overall, finishing in 15:14.9, while junior David Gunnerson(Yorktown, Va.) was 15th in 15:35.4.  Sophomore Ian MacFawn (LaVale, Md.) ran 15:39.4 for 18th place, andRyan Gousse (Apopka, Fla.) was 37th to round out the team scoring.  Filling out the roster of seven in-uniform competitors were junior Joshua Mercado (Citrus Heights, Calif.), 40th, and sophomore Ricky Cappetta(Stafford, Va.), 44th. More

The Tribe put five runners in the top seven overall, and five of the top six scorers to finish just one point away from a best-possible 15.  Leading the way once again was All-American senior Elaina Balouris (Allison Park, Pa.), who pulled away from sophomore All-American Emily Stites (Wyoming, Ohio) to take the win, 10:17.5 to 10:18.3.  Both harriers broke the meet record set by Stites last year, as did fourth-place finisher sophomore Meghan McGovern(North Wales, Pa.), who ran 10:31.0.  Junior Dylan Hassett (Alpharetta, Ga.) was fifth overall in 10:37.8, and senior Michelle Britto (Woodbridge, Va.) was seventh in 10:38.1, just a step out of sixth.  Junior Carolyn Hennessey (Herndon, Va.), ninth in 10:56.6, and sophomore Becca Eudailey (Quinton, Va.), 13th in 11:00.7, rounded out the top seven places for W&M. More

Flotrack Ranks W&M 8th

As an alumnus it was wonderful during the men's 14 year NCAA XC string of appearances, but I am having fun watching the women improve so much.  After making it to the NCAA meet for the first time in years last year the entire team returns in tact which is why Flotrack predicts that the women will be 8th this fall at the NCAA meet. 

Flotrack Interviews Emily Stites

Watch more video of Cross Country Season on Flotrack 2013 on flotrack.org
Emily Stites went from a 5:05 senior a year ago to a two time All-American.  Above is a recent interview with Flotrack. 

Women's Team Ranked 7th in Pre-Season Poll

William and Mary is returning its entire team from last year and not surprisingly is ranked 7th in the US on the strength of that.  Elaina Boularis is ranked 9th overall.  

Friend-Uhl Wins Two Races at Master's US Championships

It is hard to believe that Sonja Friend-Uhl (on left) graduated just a few years after me and is still running so quickly.  This weekend she was helped set a 40-49 4x800 world record of 9:18.33.  She also won the 40+ 1500 meter race.  

Deb Boykin Honored

For those of you who were runners in the mid 1980s you well remember Jim Goggin and his wife Deb Boykin (how many parties did we go to at their home near the library).  Well Deb is now the long time director of Residence Hall Life and has been honored by the Virginia College and University Housing Officers who named their highest professional award after her. More

Stites Wins USA Junior 5K

Frosh Emily Stites crushed the runners in the USA junior 5K with a 16:17 to easily beat the second place finisher who came in 17:01.  

Perkins Scores 2nd at NCAA

Two years ago Val Roeder '85's son won the NCAA Decathlon, then last year Marlon Mattis's (85) son was the #1 discus thrower in high school and this year John Malone's (82) son has run a 4:04.  Now Randy Perkins' son just finished 2nd in the NCAA 1500 yesterday.  It seems the alum's kids are doing pretty well in Division I athletics. 

Stites 10th in 5K

Frosh Emily Stites just earned another All-America title, this time in the outdoors 5K running 16:08.89 for 10th. 

Balouris

Elaina Balouris, who led for much of the first three miles, finished tenth in the NCAA 10K to earn her third All-American title.  More

NCAA LIVE FEED

You can go here to see a live feed of the NCAA meet.   Boularis is at 10:10 pm tonight.  Stites runs at 9:15 EST on Friday in the 5K. 

NCAA Regional Pictures

Thanks to Tim O'Dowd who posted these 57 pictures from the NCAA Regional meet. 

Stites Makes it to NCAA Meet

Emily Stites qualified for the NCAA meet in the 5K (as expected!).  Here is the complete story. 

Balouris Advanced to the NCAA Meet

Elaina Balouris broke the school record and for the second year advanced to the NCAA finals in the 10K with a time of 33:43.  Also racing in the 10,000m on Thursday evening was sophomore Dylan Hassett who ran 36:14.09 for 38th place.  The race brought Hassett's breakout year to a close, but not before she recorded lifetime-bests in every distance raced and earned All-CAA honors for the first time in cross country.  More

No Men Advanced - Yet at NCAA Regional

Josh Hardin came within two people of qualifying for the NCAA meet with a 14th place 30:07 10K.  Also competing earlier in the day was John Muller  who ran 3:54.54 for 42nd in the 1,500m in his NCAA debut.  Muller earned runner-up honors in the 1,500m at the CAA Championships each of the past two years.  Freshman Austin Vegas  tied for 38th in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 4.75m (15-7).  Vegas, the CAA champion in the vault, qualified for the NCAA meet by breaking the Tribe's freshman record two weeks ago with a 5.01m (16-5.25) at the Virginia Challenge.There are still four more men competing. More

Multiple Athletes Make it to the NCAA Regional Round

Here is the women's list which includes Emily Stites (4th in the 5K), Meghan McGovern (47th in the 5K), Elaina Balouris (11th in the 10K) and Dylan Hassett (40th in the 10K).

Here is the men's list which includes Liam Anastasia-Murphy (45th in the steeple), Alex McGrath  (11th in the 5K), Radford Gunzenhauser (47th in the 5K), Josh Hardin (18th in the 10K), Austin Vegas  (42nd in the pole vault), Robert Smutsky (29th in the javelin) and John Muller (38th in the 1500).  
  

27:59 for Christo Landry

Watch more video of Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational 2013 on flotrack.org

I remember seeing Landry get 13th place at the NCAA XC meet a number of years ago.  Then he headed into injury oblivion and took three years to get back to where he was before.  Two years ago he notched a mid 28 10K and now at the Payton Jordan meet he became the second fastest W&M runner ever (after Ed Moran) when he knocked out a 27:59 10K.  

Alex McGrath Runs 13:55

Watch more video of 2013 Mt. Sac Relays on flotrack.org

Alex McGrath became the 9th fastest W&M 5K runner outdoors with his 13:55 at the Mt. SAC Relays.  McGrath also won a Fulbright scholarship to study in Russia.  More

Stites Smashes W&M 5K Record

Emily Stites ran 15:45 breaking the school record by 18 seconds which is also the third fastest under 20 time in the world so far this year.  The time qualifies her for the USAT&F meet and is the 10th fastest among NCAA runner.  Amazingly it is only five seconds off the US junior record. You can see the race above and read more about it here. 

Two Women Set School Records

Elaina Balouris placed second in the women’s 5,000-metre event at the Colonial Relays on Friday, 6^thApril.   Her 16:03.43 time eclipsed Marcie Homan’s school record.  The Tribe's other school record, and an ECAC-qualifier to boot, came in the 200m dash where freshman Jessica Ewing took seventh overall in 24.52 seconds. Here are the other women's results. 

The men had two IC4A qualifiers on the first day of competition.  The Tribe's first IC4A mark of the weekend came in the 1,500m, where senior John Muller ran 3:47.93 for a big lifetime-best and to take seventh overall.  Rad Gunzenhauser also dipped in under the qualifying barrier, this time in the 5,000m, running 14:13.56 and taking ninth overall.  Two weeks ago at the Tribe Invitational, Gunzenhauser ran 29:50 in the 10,000m to meet the IC4A requirement in that event.  Here are more men's results. 

Stites at the World XC Race

There are multiple of Emily Stites from the world xc champs which you can find here, here, here, here and here.

Stimson Featured in Flat Hat

Dan Stimson, former director of the track team and now assistant coach was featured in the Flat Hat, which you can see here. 

Balouris, Gunzenhauser, Vegas Are CAA Athletes of the Week

William and Mary All-American Elaina Balouris (Allison Park, Pa.) opened the spring season last weekend with one of the nation's fastest times at 3,000m, and was rewarded for her efforts Tuesday with selection as the Colonial Athletic Association Track Athlete of the Week.  This is the eighth weekly honor of Balouris' career. At the Tribe Invitational on Saturday, the junior math major opened the day by finishing second behind teammate Katie Buenaga (Greenville, Del.) in the 1,500m run, finishing with a time of 4:34.65.  At the end of the day, she came back and won the 3,000m convincingly, running 9:37.79 to qualify for the ECAC Championships.  It is the fifth-fastest time in the nation so far this spring.

The William and Mary men's track and field team took home both weekly honors from the Colonial Athletic Association on Tuesday, as Rad Gunzenhauser (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and Austin Vegas(Kernersville, N.C.) were honored for their exploits last weekend.  This is the second weekly award for Gunzenhauser, and the first of Vegas' young career. Gunzenhauser was named Track Athlete of the Week after he won the 10,000m at the Tribe Invitational on Friday night with a nation-leading time of 29:50.06.  His performance, in addition to being a lifetime-best by more than minute, qualifies the junior for the IC4A Championships.  Gunzenhauser now ranks 13th all-time at W&M in the long-distance event. Vegas was a co-winner of the Field Athlete of the Week award after opening his spring with an IC4A-qualifying jump of 4.80 meters (15-9) in the pole vault.  Vegas, who was declared the winner of the event on criteria over classmate Greg Gallagher (Elmsford, N.Y.), also had three solid attempts at a Tribe freshman-record of 4.91m (16-1).  Vegas is tied for seventh all-time at W&M outdoors in the pole vault (alongside Gallagher).

Video Recap of Stites' Race

Here is a video recap of the junior women's race from the World XC race. 

Stites is 23rd at World XC

Frosh Emily Stites continues to absolutely shine with a 23rd finish at the World XC championships.  She was the second woman (after winning the trials for the US) for the US in a time of 19:37 following the winner's time of 17:57 (bottom of the first page).  The USA Junior women finished 6th overall. 

Stites in Poland

Here is Emily Stites (on left in picture) in Poland the day before the World XC Champs.  

IC4A/ECAC Summary

IC4A Championships

On Friday March 1^st the IC4A and ECAC Qualifiers departed for Boston to prepare for competition on Saturday and Sunday.  On Saturday at the IC4A Championships, W&M walked away with its second-consecutive 5,000m title.  Junior Rad Gunzenhauser ran a lifetime-best 14:05.95 to win his first IC4A title.  This time improves Rad to eighth on the all-time athletes list.  It was his first conference title of any sort, bettering his runner-up showing at the CAA 10,000m last May.  Freshman Bob Smutsky also competed on Saturday, in the 200m prelims.  His time of 22.32 was not fast enough to advance, but it did tie for the seventh-fastest time ever recorded by a Tribe sprinter indoors. 

On Sunday, senior Alex McGrath ran a lifetime-best 8:05.72 in the 3,000m run, finishing in fourth to add yet another All-East honor to his career.  Alex's time ranks him fourth in school history behind only All-Americans Matt Lane '01, Ken Halla '86, and Brian Hyde '96.  The men’s team finished the meet with 15 points and in 22nd place out of 44 scoring teams.

ECAC Championships

Leading the way on Saturday at the ECAC Championships was sophomore Dylan Hassett in the 5,000m run.  Dylan earned her first All-East accolades with a lifetime-best performance of 16:41.42.  This performance improves Dylan to 10th in school history in the event.  Freshman Claire Tito broke her own freshman record in the 500m dash with a time of 1:15.29.  This race moves Claire up the board to stand fifth all-time at W&M.  In the 1,000m run, senior Katie Buenaga took 10th in the prelims with a time of 2:53.18.  After getting boxed in multiple times, her time is still the 11th-fastest at W&M.  In the pole vault, sophomore Elizabeth Crafford tied for 13th overall at a height of 3.65 meters (11-11.75).  Junior Nicole Dory tied for 16th place, clearing the bar at 3.55m (11-7.75).

In the 3,000m, junior All-American Elaina Balouris claimed All-East honors for the fourth time, running 9:42.18 for fourth place.  Sophomore Dylan Hassett doubled back and was right behind her for fifth in 9:42.41, improving to 12th in school history.  It was the second All-East honor and second lifetime-best performance in less than 24 hours for Dylan, who was also sixth in the 5,000m the night before.  Freshman Meghan McGovern was 12th overall, just a few seconds behind her own best to finish in 9:47.18.

Running in the slow section of the distance medley relay, our women put up a good fight and just barely got edged out for the win from the fast section.  The DMR took second overall with the second-fastest time in school history, 11:39.83.  Senior Katie Buenaga led the way on the 1200m (3:31) leg before passing to sophomore Maggie Gutierrez to run the 400m (60.0), freshman Claire Tito to run the 800m (2:16), and senior Michelle Britto to anchor on the mile (4:52) in turn. 

The 4x800m relay qualified for Sunday's finals in 9:09.67, the eighth-fastest time in school history and the best performance since 2009.  The qualifying team included sophomores Heather Clagett (2:16), Casey Lardner (2:16) and Maggie Gutierrez (2:17) before junior Olivia Harding (2:20) brought the baton home on the anchor.  On Day two the 4x800m relay came back to run 9:01.19 run was good for sixth place overall.  It was also the fourth-fastest time ever run by W&M, and the fastest since the school-record was set back in 1999.  Once again it was the senior duo of Buenaga (2:15) and Britto (2:13) powering the win, running the third and fourth legs behind sophomores Heather Clagett (2:17) and Casey Lardner (2:14). 

The women’s team finished 10th out of 53 teams, its first top-10 finish since 2010 and third of the past six years. 

The team now has three weeks off, before opening the outdoor season by hosting the Tribe Open.  We will welcome teams from up and down the east coast to Williamsburg on Friday and Saturday, March 22-23.  Expect this year’s meet to be much larger than the past and opening up on Friday night with the Men’s and Women’s 10k as well as the Men’s Hammer Throw.

World Cross Championships

As the U.S. junior national champion in cross country. Emily Stites will depart for Poland in a little over one week where she will represent Team USA at the World Cross Country Championships.  The race will take place on March 24^th in Bydgoszcz.  We will keep you updated from abroad as best as possible!

IC4A/ECAC Results So Far

Emily Stites is not the only one sizzling this weekend as Rad Gunzenhauser won the IC4A 5K in 14:05 moving him to eighth on the all-time list.  In the 5,000m Dylan Hassett won her first All-East accolades with a lifetime-best performance of 16:41.42.  It was the 16th-fastest race ever run at W&M, and improves Hassett to 10th in school history in the event.

Stites' 16:05

Here is Stites' amazing 16:05 race. 

Stites Runs 16:05

Just a few minutes ago, Frosh Emily Stites ran 16:05 in the 5K which is the second fastest 5K every run by a W&M runner. 

Stites Wins Junior USATF XC

Emily Stites has put together one of the longest XC seasons in W&M history by winning the junior XC, meaning that she can now add "national champion" to her list of accomplishments.  One would assume that Stites will now be selected to represent the US at the World XC champs in Poland. 

McGovern Places 6th at NACAC Meet

William and Mary freshman Meghan McGovern made her international debut Saturday, finishing sixth overall at the NACAC Junior Cross Country Championships.  The 4K race was one of four held at Mandeville, Jamaica, featuring teams from North America, Central America, and the Carribean.

McGovern ran 14:31 for the 4K distance, sixth-best overall and third on Team USA.  America's Erin Finn was the overall winner in 14:09, but Team Canada edged the Americans 17-21 in the team standings.  The Red, White, and Blue beat teams from Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Bermuda.  McGovern is the second member of the Tribe to run for Team USA this winter, joining classmate Emily Stites (Wyoming, Ohio), who ran at the BUPA Great Edinburgh Challenge three weeks ago.

McGovern and Stites will travel to Clayton, Mo., next weekend for the U.S. National Cross Country Championships.  Both women will compete for the right to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, which will be held on March 24 in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Stites is Top American at Bupa

Frosh Emily Stites was the top American and 7th overall in the junior race at the Great Bupa International Cross Country race. 

Pole Vaulter Elizabeth Crafford

It is not often the Alumni Magazine does a nice long piece on a track athlete, but here is a nice one on Elizabeth Crafford '15.