University of Massachusets Athletics

UMass Cross Country Teams Set For NCAA Regional Qualifier
November 13, 2008 | Women's Cross Country
Nov. 13, 2008
Bronx, N.Y. - The UMass men's and women's cross country teams head to Van Cortlandt Park this Saturday in Bronx, N.Y. for the NCAA Regional Qualifier hosted by Columbia University. The Minutemen, coming off their second-ever Atlantic 10 Championship title, look to improve this year's finish in the 10K, as they placed 11th at the Qualifier last season. UMass remains at number seven in the USTFCCCA polls for the Northeast region. The Minutewomen, finishing seventh two weeks ago at the Atlantic 10 Championship, hope to boost the 28th place finish from last season.
The Minutemen will look to senior leader Nils Fischer (Stow, Mass.) in a big way on Saturday, after an 11th place finish at the Atlantic 10 Championship earned him a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team. Fischer has ranked first for the Minutemen twice this season, including an overall first place finish at home against Maine, Vermont, Colgate, and UConn that earned him UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week honors. Also expected to finish high for UMass will be junior Jonathan Pierce (Hanover, Mass.). Pierce finished first for the Minutemen, ninth overall, at the Atlantic 10 Championships two weeks ago with a time of 24:22.8. That time also secured Pierce a position on the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team. Pierce also finished highest of current Minutemen starters, ranking second on the team, 47th overall with a time of 31:10.25 in the 10K at last year's event.
Another key contributor to the Minutemen squad this season has been junior Andrew Mulvaney (South Hadley, Mass.). Mulvaney has finished first on the team in two of the three races he has competed in this season. At A-10's, Mulvaney finished 18th overall with his best time of the season--24:48.9. Expected to round out the scoring for the Minutemen will be junior Nicolai Naranjo (Essex Falls, N.J.) and senior Jesse Regnier (Hampden, Mass.). Naranjo ranked third on the team, 16th overall, just missing the All-Conference team at A-10's with a time of 24:45.0. Regnier ranked 21st overall, helping his team win the Atlantic 10 Championship.
For the Minutewomen, redshirt sophomore Shiyi Zan (Ottawa, Ontario) will be expected to lead the Minutewomen as she has done all season. Zan has finished first on the team in all five meets this season; including an 8th place overall finish two weeks ago at the Atlantic 10 Championship. This finish earned Zan a spot on the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team. Freshman Karen Roa (Jamaica, N.Y.) has emerged for the Minutewomen as a strong second-place finisher. At A-10's she ranked 15th overall with a time of 18:43.7, placing her on the All-Conference team.
The young Minutewomen squad will also look to freshman Claire Pettit (Warwick, N.Y.) to improve the team score in the 6Krace. Coming off one week's rest, Pettit finished third on the team, 48th overall at the Atlantic 10 Championships. Pettit has consistently scored for the Minutewomen this year, finishing as high as second on the team and only as low as fourth. Also in the mix will be senior Taryn Trapp (Nampa, Idaho) and sophomore Gina Perno (Plainview, N.Y.). Trapp finished fourth on the team, 58th overall while Perno ranked 79th overall two weeks ago. The only returning starter to race in last year's NCAA Qualifier is sophomore Kristen Darling, who finished third on the team.
The women's race is set to kick off at 11:00AM, while the men get underway at 11:45. The top two teams for both the men and women will advance to the NCAA Championship Meet. Along with those teams, the top four individuals not on the top two teams will also advance to the NCAA Meet as well.