M., w. cross-country start 2004 on different paths

2003 was a banner year for women's cross country, when in less than three months the program went from being virtually unknown at the national level to a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships.

On the men's side, however, a new coach, new lead runners, and new talent will be put to the test this year after a disappointing 2003.

The women, led by returning All-American junior Cack Ferrell, now hope to prove that last season was no fluke. The Tigers are ranked eighth in the preseason coaches poll (tied with UCLA), and have a healthy top seven along with a strong freshman class.

Head coach Peter Farrell will have the difficult task of trying to one-up his performance from last year, when he was named the Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year by the Women's Intercollegiate Cross Country Coaches Association.

The biggest obstacle the team must overcome is the loss of All-American Emily Kroshus '04, who led the team all of last season with her exceptional performances, culminating in her eighth-place finish at nationals.

"Not having Emily there will allow me to run more of my style of race," said Ferrell, adding that junior Meredith Lambert has been training with her, and could give the team the type of one-two punch they used efficiently last year.

Princeton's archrival this year, as always, will be No. 13 Columbia. The Lions last year edged out Princeton for the Ivy League Heptagonal Championsips title, but finished behind them at NCAAs.

This weekend, the Tigers host Rutgers in a dual meet. In a race Ferrell describes as "low key," the freshmen will be given their first taste of a college race before heading to the Griak Invitational in Minnesota in two weeks.

The men's team is coming off a disappointing year in which they finished fifth at Heps, and failed to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

In early May, former head coach Mike Brady announced his retirement after five seasons leading the Tigers, and over the summer Steve Dolan was announced as his replacement. Dolan has led the men's and women's programs at the nearby College of New Jersey for 11 seasons, with great success at the Division III level, consistently taking both teams to top-20 finishes at NCAA Championships.

"I met with him over the summer, and he seems like a great guy," junior Ben Stern said.

Though Princeton lost its top runner, Tristan Colangelo '04, to graduation, it has a strong group of returning runners, led by senior Austin Smith and junior Frank McCreery.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

What gives the Tigers the most hope — in a sport in which injuries are distressingly common — is the overall healthiness of the team. Being able to begin the season with all their lead runners intact will give Princeton an advantage over its opponents it hopefully will be able to maintain.

The freshman class also gives Tiger fans a reason to cheer, as they look to be the most promising and accomplished recruiting class in years. This weekend they will have their first chance to experience the speed and added length of the college level at the Spiked Shoe Invitational in University Park, Pa.