Albany State Mens Cross Country Team to be Inducted on their 50th Anniversary

Seven Local Team Members to be Recognized

Fifty years after the 1973 Albany State Men’s Cross Country Team cemented its place in history by placing second at the NCAA Division III National Championships, the team, including four Capital District natives, has been selected to join the UAlbany Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023. 

Led by legendary program founder and UAlbany Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2010 member Robert Keith “R.K.” Munsey, the 1973 Cross Country Team roster included: 

Chris Burns, Albany NY (St. John the Baptist HS, West Islip NY)

Carlo Cherubino, Latham NY, (Cardinal McCloskey HS, Albany NY) UA Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 1987

Nick DeMarco, Glenmont NY (Voorheesville HS, NY)

Herb Hasan, Buffalo NY (Bennett HS, Buffalo, NY)

John Koch, Saratoga Springs NY, (St. John the Baptist HS, West Islip NY)

Vincent Reda, Voorheesville NY (Yorktown Heights HS, NY) UA Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 1989

James Shrader, team co-captain, Utica NY (Middleburgh HS, NY) UA Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 1988

William Sorel, team co-captain, Voorheesville NY (Cardinal McCloskey HS, Albany NY)

Curt Woodcock, Johnstown NY, (Newfane Central HS, Lockport NY)

During their 1973 season, this Men’s Cross Country Team achieved an 11-3 record, a then-program win record. The three losses came at the hands of Division I opponents. These Danes also won the Upstate NY Championship, the SUNY Conference Championship, and, two days after the stellar finish at the NCAA Championship meet, recorded a program-best 5th place at the IC4A Championship meet in NYC.

“It’s hard to believe it was 50 years ago,” said Bill Sorel, team co-captain and graduate of the former Cardinal McCloskey High School in Albany. “We were a very good team that peaked at the right time. I haven’t heard from some of these guys since ‘73. It was a pleasant surprise to learn that seven of us are living in the Capital Region.”

Middleburgh high school star Jim Shrader, co-captain of the Albany State team, finished third to lead the Great Danes to their second-place NCAA finish and earned him All-American status.

Carlo Cherubino, also a Cardinal McCloskey alumnus, recalled what made this team special. “Although we worked very hard, we had a lot of fun. I enjoyed going to practice every day.” 

“I’m so excited and proud that our 1973 cross-country team is being inducted into the Hall of Fame,” said Voorheesville HS grad Nick DeMarco. “We were a talented, deep, and resilient team.”

“These inductees have competed at the highest level and embody the best characteristics of what it means to be a Great Dane student-athlete,” said UAlbany Director of Athletics Mark Benson. 

The Class of 2023 is the 35th to be inducted into the UAlbany Athletics Hall of Fame, which has now enshrined a total of 156 members.  The enshrinement ceremony for the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 will take place on September 29 at 6:00 pm at the Crowne Plaza-Desmond Hotel in Albany and is open to the public.