The Loyola cross country team debuted Saturday, Sept. 13 at the 36th Annual Azalea City Classic hosted by the University of South Alabama after their first two meets were canceled due to Hurricane Gustav.

The women finished with 175 points, just behind rival Spring Hill College, which had 152 points. They were led by first-time competitor Madeline Falcone, music performance junior. She placed 20th in the 5,000 meter race. Falcone was followed by Lauren Fereday, biology pre-med freshman, who came in 33rd place.

Psychology freshman Chris Kelliher, who finished in 44th place, led the men’s team, comprised of all freshman runners. Kelliher was followed closely by his teammates: Robert Hayden, biology freshman, finished 54th; Trevor McQueen, biology freshman, finished 56th; and Justin Fecke, an undeclared freshman, finished 57th. They did not post a score.

Coach Andy Canegitta, new to Loyola this year, welcomed nine freshmen and two juniors to the team over the summer. While all these new faces bring advantages to the team, Canegitta emphasized that there was a lot of work to be done.

“Because they are mostly a new team, they will have the opportunity to grow together and grow as a team in the future,” he said.

Fereday, who ran in high school at St. Scholastica Academy in Covington, La., liked that they are a young team. Because of her experience, Canegitta calls her “a leader of this team.”

Other than cross country, Fereday focused her first weeks on school and becoming acclimated to the Loyola community. In addition to a heavy science-based course load, she joined Loyola University Community Action Program and hopes to join Beta Beta Beta, the biology fraternity, and the Student Government Association. She also plans on going through Panhellenic Recruitment in October.

Fereday said that she loves Loyola so far. Her roommate in Buddig Hall, whom she met at the President’s Open House earlier this year, has become her best friend.

“I think I’ve really made the right choice,” she said.

McQueen has also been busy making Loyola, specifically the third floor south of Biever Hall, his new home. When asked if he was aware of his floor’s previous stigma, he stated that he did and that “we’ll see what happens.”

McQueen has been running cross country since the seventh grade at St. Martin’s Episcopal School in Metairie, La.

Over the summer, he worked on conditioning and training, which Cannegitta provided to him and his teammates.

“He seems like he really knows what he’s doing, and he’s been working us pretty hard early,” McQueen said of the coach.

The team started practice the first day of school at 6:30 a.m. in Audubon Park. McQueen thought the team was pretty average and that they could all improve.

After practice, he deals with a rigorous schedule parallel to Fereday’s.

“We have a lot of classes together,” Fereday said when the similarity was pointed out.

McQueen, though not otherwise involved on campus yet, looked forward to meeting more people so that he could become a bigger part of the community.

After the meet this past weekend, which McQueen called “really tough,” the team planned to use the rest of the week to build up for their next meet.

“We need more speed and endurance training,” he said.

Canegitta, Fereday and McQueen agreed that there is a lot of work to be done before the Louisiana State University Invitational in Baton Rouge, La., on Saturday, Sept. 27.

“As a team, they will need to build a foundation so that they can gain more experience,” Canegitta said.

Lauren Navarro can be reached at [email protected].