HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's cross country team has recently written several significant chapters in its storied history and another unforgettable season looks to be on the horizon in 2012.
Claiming the runner-up trophy at the NCAA Division III championship race in 2011, the Fords return two All-Americans in senior Jordan Schilit and junior Brian Sokas. Schilit ran to an 18th-place finish at the national meet while Sokas claimed 29th.
Haverford's deep roster also includes seniors Peter Kissin and Ivo Milic-Strkalj who joined Schilit and Sokas in running to All-Mideast Region honors last season as the Fords claimed the regional crown for the seventh time in the last nine years.
The talent surrounding head coach Tom Donnelly does not stop there as sophomore Jeff Duncan and junior Christopher Stadler hope to build off solid showings in 2011 that saw them merit All-Centennial Conference second-team recognition. Seniors Michael Riccio and Ethan Haswell, as well as junior Avi Bregman and sophomore Joel Christian, will also be key contributors.
Additionally, Donnelly, in his 38th year at the helm, feels he has added a promising group of freshmen who can challenge for varsity spots this year to the myriad of standout returnees.
"As a team, we are hoping to do well at the Centennial and regional levels," said Donnelly. "The conference will put forth a host of challenges with Dickinson College, Johns Hopkins University and Swarthmore College looking strong."
The Centennial coaches unanimously agreed in preseason voting that Haverford looks poised to capture its third consecutive title. The feat would be especially memorable this season as the Fords host the 2012 conference championship for the first time.
Also recognizing Haverford's breadth of talent, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) slotted the Fords first in the Mideast Region and second in the nation in its preseason polls, so expectations abound from conference to national levels.
Donnelly and his squad are hoping to be a top-10 team in the nation for the eighth time in the last nine years when the 2012 season comes to close.
Their first opportunity to take a step towards that goal will come on Sept. 20 as Haverford hosts the Main Line Invitational at Alumni Course.