NCAA XC Countdown #19: Iona Men and Penn State Women

Aug 4, 2013 by Isaac Wood

For the next month, The Wood Report will be counting down projected team finishes in this year's NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, IN. Make sure to stay up-to-date with The Wood Report throughout the season. You should follow him on Twitter, too.

View the full NCAA Top 31 Countdown HERE.

#19

Iona Men

Head Coach: Ricardo Santos (6th Season)

2012 National Finish- 29th

Key Returners from 2012

Matt Gillespie (Sr., 3:58 Mile, 8:00 Open 3k, 14:10 5k)
Jake Byrne (Jr., 14:01 5k, 30:40 10k)
Daniel Clorley (Sr., 8:02 Open 3k, 14:03 5k
Andrew Kowalsky (Jr., 14:06 5k, 29:35 10k)
Kieran Clements (Fr., 14:11 5k)

Impact Recruits/Transfers

Daniel Galford (Fr., NXN Nats Individual Qualifier '11- 48th)

Season Preview

Going into the 2012 NCAA Cross Country Championships, Iona was ranked #2 and was thrown in the mix of teams that could possibly challenge Oklahoma State and Wisconsin for a national title. Things could not have gone any worse for the Gaels in Louisville. The lone bright spot was Mitch Goose having an All-American day. Everyone else struggled and their consistent no. 2 runner, Matt Gillespie, DNF'd.

Considering all of that, there is no lack of motivation for this Iona squad to prove their legitimacy in 2013. The good news for the Gaels is that they return many of the athletes that helped them reach so high in the rankings in 2012.

If Iona is to improve upon their NCAA finish from 2012, a lot will ride on the shoulders of Matt Gillespie. A sub-4 minute miler, Gillespie DNF'd at NCAAs last year and will be looking to redeem himself. Gillespie has good range (he was an East Regional Qualifer in the 5k) which will help him as the races move from 8k to 10k, he should be able to out kick many of his contemporaries which will help out in the final scoring situation.

Jake Byrne, who did not compete outdoors in 2013, is riding off of a good summer where he finished 15th overall at the European U23 Championships in the 5k. This kind of caliber experience is always helpful for someones confidence as they enter a new season. Byrne will be counted on to provide veteran leadership experience for the Gaels up-front.

Daniel Clorley and Kieran Clements are both capable 5k runners who also made the East Regional in the 5k and will prove to be very solid 3-5 runners for the Gaels. Andrew Kowalsky had a good track season in 2013 where he PR'd nicely in the 10k running 29:35 and qualifying for the East Regional as well.

Iona has had a quality distance program for many many years now and this will not change in 2013. The returning Northeast Regional Champions will have their hands full with a very good and deep Syracuse team and Columbia reloading as well. If these Gaels can stay healthy and stay focused through the end of the season, they could creep on many of the teams that will be previewed here after in Terre Haute.

#19

Penn State Women

Head Coach: Beth Alford-Sullivan (15th Season)

2012 National Finish- 14th

Key Returners from 2012

Tori Perri (Sr., Injured Track '13, 47th XC Nats '12)
Rebekka Simko (Sr., 2:03 800m, 4:20 1500m)
Emily Giannotti (Sr., 16:36 5k, 34:54 10k)
Abbie Benson (Jr., 9:37 Open 3k, 10:26 3k Steeple)
Tori Gerlach (So., 9:31 Open 3k, 16:28 5k)

Season Preview

Confidence abounds in Happy Valley for this Penn State Women's team as they come back in 2013 ready to defend their Mid-Atlantic Regional title and make an even bigger splash at the Big Dance. Coach Sullivan is doing an impressive job developing these girls into strong cross country runners which has been noticed by USA Track and Field. Sullivan will be spending the next few weeks in Moscow as the Head Women's Coach for the USA World Championships team.

After a 14th finish in Louisville, Penn State now has three top 15 finishes in the last four years. Following that kind of momentum into 2013 is doable with the help of a lot of the girls that got them there in 2012.

Tori Perri is the team's no. 1 runner from NCAAs last season and although she was not able to compete on the track this spring, she should have plenty of time to build a great base this summer and prepare to be the leader of this solid Nittany Lions group. Perri is a potential All-American in 2013, if her progression continues, she can improve upon her 47th finish in Louisville.

The most interesting runner in this group is Rebekka Simko. She is a great example to all of the middle-distance women in the country who think they are not able to run well over 6k. Simko proved it can be done last season as she was Penn State's no. 3 runner at the Regional where they won and received an automatic bid to NCAAs. If Simko can repeat what she did in 2012 for the Nittany Lions in 2013, she will be an indispensable asset.

Penn State also brings back a handful of girls that are good at keeping the 1-5 spread close and providing consistency in their pack. Leigha Anderson, Emily Giannotti, and Abbie Benson are vital to their depth and will be called upon if needed to push Perri and Simko up front.

Another Tori (Gerlach), is coming off of a very impressive freshman year, especially on the track this spring, and is the darkhorse on this team. Gerlach posted nice PRs of 9:31 for 3k indoors and 16:28 for 5k outdoors and qualified for the East Regionals in the 5k. By NCAAs Penn State could be led by a 1-2 punch of women named Tori.

Winning back to back Regional titles could prove difficult this season as Georgetown and Villanova are very strong this year. However, this team has the makings of a top-10 team, if they can stay healthy and find some help from their returning depth.