POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The 2012 season for the Marist men's and women's cross country teams will begin on Saturday, Sept. 1, with the fifth annual Marist Invitational at Bowdoin Park. The Red Foxes will welcome Fairfield and Iona to the season-opening meet, which will be run on a 5K course.
The Marist men's team has traditionally been one of the strongest in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The last seven years, the Red Foxes have finished second in the conference, trailing national power Iona each time. Marist has lost several significant contributors from last season, including William Griffin, Matthew Flint, Thomas Lipari and Brian Townsend. However, the Red Foxes return several strong runners, including a pair of senior captains who are primed for strong seasons in Arquimedes DelaCruz and Joel Moss.
The women's team is coming off one of its best in school history. In addition to finishing second at last year's MAAC Championships, the Red Foxes set school records with four All-MAAC and four All-East honorees. In sophomore Michelle Gaye, the Red Foxes do return their top runner from last year, although they do lose three-time All-MAAC honoree Addie DiFrancesco. Senior captain Katie Messina and freshman Kristen Traub are expected to be key contributors.
There are six meets on the regular-season schedule prior schedule prior to the MAAC Championships, which will be held at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World Resorts in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Saturday, Oct. 27. The NCAA Regional Meet will be held at Hammonasset State Park in Madison, Conn., on Friday, Nov. 9. The following Saturday, the IC4A (men) and ECAC meets will take place at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.
