The cross country team’s performance suffered in the Wolf Pack Invitational due to training delays caused by Hurricane Isaac.
The men placed fifth while the women placed sixth at this year’s Invitational on Sept. 8, compared to last year’s first place finish for both teams.
“Our training was side-tracked from the storm, and most of my runners were unable to train for a few days,” said Canegitta in
an email. “Due to the rain from Hurricane Isaac, the course was really soft.”
Although the runners did not perform as well as they did last year, Coach Canegitta expects the team to improve throughout the season.
No women’s cross country runners came in the top 25 this year, compared to two runners last year. However, two men’s cross country runners finished in the top 25 during the invitational at Lafreniere Park in Metairie, La. At his first meet as a college student, chemistry freshman Jonathan Malbrue finished as the fastest competing Loyola runner, 18:12.63, in 15th place.
At the invitational, the men’s team finished the day with an average time of 18:38.16 and scored 100 points, 27 more points than Pack rival Spring Hill College. The women’s team averaged a 5k time of 24:26.93 and scored 134 points, 54 more points than the University of Mobile. Five alumni runners also competed with three of the four female runners finishing in the top 25 and the sole male alumni competing finishing in the top 25.
Management junior Elizabeth Gienger was the fastest of the Loyola women finishing in 26th place.
“It was a difficult first race,” said Gienger. “I was not as good as last year.”
Compared to last year’s Wolf Pack Invitational results, only one runner this year was able to place higher than last year. Music education senior Kenny Tsao came in at 31st place, improving upon his 32nd place finish last year.
Last year’s best performers at the invitational were general studies sophomore Dylan Di Martino and psychology senior Jenna Knoblach. Martino recorded the fastest time of all Loyola runners with his fifth place finish while Knoblach finished in 16th. However, both runners were unable to run this year due to injuries.
At this year’s Wolf Pack Invitational, five Loyola alumni ran along with the current Cross Country team. Natalie Sargent, who traveled to New Orleans from Tampa, Fla., said she left her two kids at home to join the Wolf Pack for the invitational. Alumni Becky Kramer ’07 ran at last year’s Wolfpack Invitational and said she noticed this year’s event was more organized and said she returned this year to support the team and meet the new generation.
At this year ́s Wolf Pack Invitational, 66 women and 72 men competed in total with nine women ́s and men ́s collegiate teams. Xavier University of Louisiana came in at first place with 20:59.42 as an average time with 33 points, 21 points more than Mississippi College. Mississippi College runner Jennifer Cooper came in first place with a time of 19:57.23.
In men’s, William Carrey University came in first place at the invitational with an average time of 17:31.83 with 51 points, 10 more points than Mississippi College. William Carrey University men’s runner Josh Osoro came in first place at the invitational with 15:33.85 as his time.
The Wolf Pack Cross Country team will compete again on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Louisiana State University Invitational in Baton Rouge, La. at the Highland Rd. Park at 8 a.m.
Santiago Caicedo can be reached at [email protected]
