NEWS
SUNY Mens Cross Country Primed for Campaign
After the opening day of the SUNY Cobleskill’s men’s cross country team’s pre-season training camp, it was apparent that there were a number of new faces in the mix. After a 2017 campaign that saw the Fighting Tigers place third at the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Championships, post one invitational victory and record a pair of second place invitational; there appeared to be many questions about the 2018 season after the graduation and loss of nine lettermen.
With the departure of one of the program’s most successful classes the questions facing head coach Mitchell Tomaszkiewicz are numerous as he enters his 26th year at the helm of the program. But as usual the Fighting Tiger mentor has his own spin on the situation.
“At some point athletes are going to graduate and leave your program. That’s what they are supposed to do,” said Tomaszkiewicz. “Every year is different and this year we are most likely going to have to do more teaching and long term developmental work given our team’s composition than in recent past years. However the goal of contending for a NEAC Championship remains the one constant from year-to-year regardless of the rosters composition. This year is no exception.”
Leading the way for the Fighting Tigers this season will be junior Scott LeBoeuf, Rochdale, Mass., Leicester High School, who earned Third Team All-NEAC honors in 2017 and senior Josh Foust, West Sand Lake, N.Y., Averill Park High School, who will be looking to rebound from an injury plagued 2017 season after earning Third Team All-NEAC Team honorees and All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Team honors in 2016.
The recruiting class is highlighted by freshman Dillon VanDemortel, Newark, N.Y., Newark High School, a 2018 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class B All-State honoree in track & field in the 3200-meters and a First Team All-NYSPHAA Class B Section V honoree in Cross Country along with freshman Britton Cook, Corning, N.Y., Corning High School, a member of Corning High School’s NYSPHAA Class A State Championship team and freshman Nick Merando, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Walter Panas High School, who has shown promise in the early season workouts.
The Fighting Tigers will open the 2018 season on Saturday when they will host the Fighting Tiger Short Course Invite on the college’s cross country course beginning at 11:00 a.m.
With the departure of one of the program’s most successful classes the questions facing head coach Mitchell Tomaszkiewicz are numerous as he enters his 26th year at the helm of the program. But as usual the Fighting Tiger mentor has his own spin on the situation.
“At some point athletes are going to graduate and leave your program. That’s what they are supposed to do,” said Tomaszkiewicz. “Every year is different and this year we are most likely going to have to do more teaching and long term developmental work given our team’s composition than in recent past years. However the goal of contending for a NEAC Championship remains the one constant from year-to-year regardless of the rosters composition. This year is no exception.”
Leading the way for the Fighting Tigers this season will be junior Scott LeBoeuf, Rochdale, Mass., Leicester High School, who earned Third Team All-NEAC honors in 2017 and senior Josh Foust, West Sand Lake, N.Y., Averill Park High School, who will be looking to rebound from an injury plagued 2017 season after earning Third Team All-NEAC Team honorees and All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Team honors in 2016.
The recruiting class is highlighted by freshman Dillon VanDemortel, Newark, N.Y., Newark High School, a 2018 New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class B All-State honoree in track & field in the 3200-meters and a First Team All-NYSPHAA Class B Section V honoree in Cross Country along with freshman Britton Cook, Corning, N.Y., Corning High School, a member of Corning High School’s NYSPHAA Class A State Championship team and freshman Nick Merando, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Walter Panas High School, who has shown promise in the early season workouts.
The Fighting Tigers will open the 2018 season on Saturday when they will host the Fighting Tiger Short Course Invite on the college’s cross country course beginning at 11:00 a.m.