2007 Men's & Women's Cross Country Preseason Newsletter 2007 Men's Season Preview

2007 Women's Season Preview

2007 Men's Season Preview

The Clark University men’s cross country team will hit the ground running this fall as they look to carry over their success from last year. The Cougars will get a quick look at conference action, as they travel to the Smith Invitational for the first race of the season. This year’s New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship meet will be held at the same course, providing the team with invaluable experience on the course. The team will return to the Worcester City Meet, where they posted a fourth place finish last year.

The Cougars are paced by senior Thomas MacCarthy, who led his team to a second place finish at last season’s WNEC Invitational, crossing the line seventh overall. The club will look to junior Caleb Evanter, who placed 13th in Clark’s second place finish at the Roger Williams Invitational last year, to step up after graduating several seniors. The Cougars will also look to Martin Leggett and William Nodding, two incoming freshman with great potential, to make an impact on the team.

Head Coach Chris D’Aniello, returning for his sixth year at the helm, is optimistic about the team’s potential this season. “We’ve returned a lot of [veteran runners] and have some top-tier recruits,” he says of the running corps. “The challenge is the learning curve for the freshman, moving from three miles to five miles. It’s a whole new world for them.” To combat this challenge and get the youngsters up to speed, the team held a summer camp at Miles Standish State Park in Plymouth, Mass. The camp, run by the captains, gave the team a chance to get in some extra training as well as team bonding.

Coach D’Aniello will be joined by Assistant Coach Louis Cote this season. Cote ran under D’Aniello’s leadership as an undergraduate at Worcester State College and is an avid local runner.

By Sports Information Intern, Bill Cobb

Back to the top

2007 Women's Season Preview

The Clark University Women’s Cross Country team looks to get off to a fast start this season with a core group of returning veterans aided by a promising freshman class. The Cougars will get a quick look at conference action, as they travel to the Smith Invitational for the first race of the season. This year’s New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship meet will be held at the same course, providing the team with invaluable experience. The team will return to the Worcester City Meet, where they posted a third place finish last year.

Ellen Durand, who placed fourth at last year’s Western New England College Invitational en route to a second-place team finish, will set the pace for the Cougars this season. Junior Kaitlyn Sephton, who crossed the line sixth at the WNEC meet, will be right on Durand’s heels as the team’s top runners. The team will also look to the returning Emily “The Pain” Tremaine and incoming freshman Jill Johnson to contribute at the top of the Cougar pack.

Despite losing three key runners to graduation, sixth-year Head Coach Chris D’Aniello is optimistic about the team’s potential this season. “We’ve returned a lot of [veteran runners] and have some top-tier recruits,” he says of the running corps. “I think we’re in a better place heading into the season than last year.” To get the youngsters up to speed the team held a summer camp at Miles Standish State Park in Plymouth, Mass. The camp, run by the captains, gave the team a chance to get in some extra training as well as team bonding.

Coach D’Aniello will be joined by Assistant Coach Louis Cote this season. Cote ran under D’Aniello’s leadership as an undergraduate at Worcester State College and is an avid local runner.

By Sports Information Intern, Bill Cobb

Back to the top

2007 SCHEDULE

Back to the top

Men's & Women's Cross Country Office
Christopher D'Aniello, Head Coach, 508- 793-7260
Email: cdaniello@clarku.edu