The cross country team is looking to achieve an even greater success than last year. The women’s team was ranked third and the men’s team was ranked fourth in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. There are some new athletes on the team this year, and everyone is eager to see what these additions can do.
Tom O’Hora, who has been coaching the team for 24 years, has led the team to win more PAC Championships in cross country than any other school.
“Cross country is truly the only sport that is a team sport,” O’Hora said. He went on to say that in cross country, if there is just one weak link, the whole team could suffer, resulting in a low score.
O’Hora, who has also coached for Holy Cross High School in Delran, N.J. prior to his start at Cabrini, said that there are a few new athletes on the team who have made a big impact-freshman Jen Davis and sophomore Justin Walsh, who placed 4th in men’s at the Delaware Valley College Invitational.
Sophomore accounting major Chris Sweeney was injured last year, but is back this season and many are looking forward to his return.
Junior exercise science major Carolyn Roberts who was ranked No. 1 in NCAA Mideast Region and ranked third in the PAC last season for women, believes that the team will be even more successful this season.
“The team looks better; there aren’t as many runners, but I think that its quality over quantity,” Roberts said.
Sophomore mathematics major Rob Devasto runs both cross country and track. He says that he likes track, but “I’m learning a lot and the guys on the team are going to be a lot better than last year,” he said.
Devasto and Roberts both described different workouts and eating habits for season training. On average, Roberts runs about 50 miles a week, and says that when she is training, she makes small adjustments to her diet.
“Salad, cereal and peanut butter and jelly, I eat more during the season,” Roberts said.
“There are different workouts for track and cross country,” Devasto said. He also says that he tries to focus more on speed during track season and focuses on his endurance during cross country.
On Saturday, Sept. 10, when the cross country team had a meet at Dukes Invitational, the women finished in first place out of seven teams and the men finished third out of nine teams. There were three injuries at that meet. The cross country season lasts through November, when the NCAA regional championships begin.
On Saturday, Sept. 17, the team was scheduled for an away meet against Cedar Crest and Muhlenberg.
