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LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell Men's Cross Country team has just one goal in mind as it readies for the America East Conference 8K Cross Country Championship, Satutrday morning, in Stony Brook, N.Y. Win UMass Lowell's first America East title.
"Our goal is to compete for the championship," said UMass Lowell Head Coach Gary Gardner. "After coming so close last year, three points away, it's been our goal basically from the beginning of November of last year."
A year ago the River Hawks turned in an eye opening performance finishing second three points behind Binghamton. UMBC finished third. This year it may be the very same three way battle. UMBC is ranked eighth in the Mid-Atlantic Region by the USTFCCCA, UMass Lowell is ranked tenth and Binghamton 13th in the Northeast Region.
UMass Lowell has been led by senior Robert Allen (Cranston, R.I.) who will be competing for the last time in River Hawk colors. Allen earlier this season won the New England Individual Championship and was the first across the finish line in the "Black" race at the Pre-National Meet.
"This is the race we've trained for," said Allen. "All the work we did during the summer was for this race. We came so close last year, we've got to give it all we have."
Joining Allen near the top of the heap on a regular basis has bene sophomore Paul Hogan (Burlington, Mass.) The two finished three and four a year ago. Success at the America East Championship is not just about the top runners, depth is the key. With a team of ten runners, the top five score points, the next two can displace opposing runners. A year ago UMass Lowell put four runners in the top 16, five in the 24.
"Our top guys are our top guys, there are only two or three runners in the conference that can run with our guys," said Gardner. "Our top guys will score what they score, they'll probably be in the top four or five. It's all about where the three, four, five guys come in. If we can get them all in the top 15, the numbers may add up and then we've got a shot to win."
And doing that, Gardner says, is about mental toughness and he liked what this team has shown him this year and even last year.
"Last year, at the America East Championship, they came out and competed well," said Gardner. "Anytime the chips have been down this group of guys has come out and really competed."
"In the last 800-meters your with people who are as good as you are and you are hurtin, you are feeling the pain," said Allen, "and you've just got to focus and go beyond that hurting feeling and push, push, push."
The Course
The course at Stony Brook is considered to be relatively flat with repeating loops. Described as an 8K, the course is actually 8,100-meters. The River Hawks are familiar with the course after running on it at the Conference Preview Meet in September.
The Opposition
This appears to be a case of the "usual suspects." Observers believe this is a battle between defending America East champion Binghamton, UMass Lowell and UMBC. They were the top finishers a year ago.
