By Jonathan Sawyer
Assistant Sports Editor
The men’s and women’s cross country teams will host the Little Three Invitational this weekend for the first time in three years. With a strong offseason, the men’s team looks strong and confident this year.
“With the summer training they have had and how they have looked in practice the past week, going into this weekend, I’m sure they are going to look great,” assistant coach Kady Weisner said. “I think they are going to have really strong performances all across the board.”
A home meet means a lot to the Bonnies.
“Being home feels great,” said top runner Joseph Ferencik, a junior philosophy major. “What makes it even sweeter is that it is my senior year and last season of eligibility. I am excited for all the Bonnies to run at home in front of friends and family.”
The girls have looked awesome for the past couple years to be quite honest and this year is no different. Again, I know Canisius has some pretty tough girls we are going to be racing against. However, I think our girls are going to contend for the win,” Weisner said.
Knowing their toughest opponent is Canisius, Caher is confident in her teammates to be strong.
“Our Biggest competition is going to be Canisius and it’s tough going into the first meet, but we have had a few really strong freshmen really come in and our team has come together this year in a way that I have never seen it come together before,” Caher said.
Both the men’s and women’s teams have two outstanding runners, who have broken records at St. Bonaventure. The first runner is Caher, who is the greatest female runner of all time at St. Bonaventure; she holds the records for the 5K and 6K. Ferencik holds the record in the 10K and is second all-time in the 8K.
Caher said she feels the pressure whenever she steps on to a course.
“That pressure is a little intimidating but is also exciting, knowing that I’m doing things that nobody at Bonventure has ever done,” said Caher.
“Kerry will definitely be missed when she graduates in May but she has been a great leader for the underclassmen, said Weisner.
“Well it’s definitely going to be a big loss when Kerry steps off this campus in May, but I think she has instilled within the girls team that drive and desire, to want to be at her level,”
Ferencik is also relied upon to lead.
“Joe has an incredible attitude this year and all of the guys, and with his leadership they’re really coming together and going to have a great year,” Weisner said.
Expectations are set very high this year with the main goal being to compete at the end of the year tournaments, such as A10s and the Northeast Regional Championship.
“To be successful, every person is going to have to continue to work hard,” Ferencik said. “With so many miles under our belt from the summer, training doesn’t end at school, it is just starting.”
Along with Ferencik, Caher has the same goals for her squad in sight.
“A goal [for the season] would be for our team to win the meet, but our eyes are always on October, and for a long term goal, if we can see every girl progress from now until A-10’s, to have a faster time at A-10’s then they have at the other three invitationals,” said Caher.
The Little Three Invitational begins tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. with the women’s race followed by the men’s race at 11.
The women’s team placed second in the little three last year and will look to reclaim the title.
