2007 Cross Country News

Rutgers-Camden’s England captures
USTFCCCA All-Academic honors

CAMDEN (Feb. 27, 2008) –Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) has had a phenomenal freshman year at Rutgers University-Camden as a member of the Lady Raptors’ cross country and indoor track teams, but England’s latest accomplishment dwarfs her impressive athletic honors.

England, a dual Accounting and Economics major who is an Honors College student, has been named to the 2007 NCAA Division III Women’s All-Academic Cross Country Team by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. She is one of only 203 Division III female student-athletes to receive the 2007 USTFCCCA All-Academic honors, representing 106 institutions across the nation.

To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and also finish in the top 25 percent of the field at their respective NCAA regional meet. England, a 4.0 student, finished 57th out of 255 runners at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championships Nov. 10 at New York’s Van Cortlandt Park.

Rutgers-Camden’s Stewart ends brilliant season
at NCAA Div. III cross country championships

NORTHFIELD, Minn. (Nov. 17, 2007) – Junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) made Rutgers University-Camden program history here Saturday at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.

Stewart became the first Rutgers-Camden runner to compete in the NCAA national cross country meet, finishing 122nd out of 280 runners in the 8K race held at St. Olaf College.

Stewart’s time of 25:56 was the third-fastest clocking on a certified 8K course in program history, and he has run all three of those times in his last three meets. He set a short-lived program mark on Oct. 27 when he ran a 25:38.99 clocking to finish second out of 53 runners at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Championships. That showing helped Stewart become the first male in Rutgers-Camden cross country history to earn All-NJAC First Team honors.

Two weeks later, at his next meet, Stewart finished 18th overall out of 271 runners at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championships (Nov. 10), held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY. He set a program record for the second straight meet with a 25:17.9 clocking and became the first Scarlet Raptor runner to qualify for the national championships.

Stewart’s clocking at the NCAA national meet Saturday gave him six of the top seven certified 8K times in program history.

The NCAA men’s individual champion was Tyler Sigl of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, who posted a time of 24:24.

In seven races this fall, Stewart was the individual champion twice and finished second on two other occasions. He also lowered the program record three times and finished the season with three consecutive sub-26:00 times, capping his brilliant season as the only runner in program history to race in the NCAA Championships.

Rutgers-Camden cross country coach Puleo
running to record-setting accomplishments

CAMDEN (Nov. 14, 2007) – Rutgers University-Camden Cross Country Head Coach Joe Puleo has had an amazing run of success in the last two weeks, ranging from the collegiate and national levels to the international stage.

Puleo, in his fifth season coaching both the men’s and women’s teams at Rutgers-Camden, earned his second straight honor as the New Jersey Athletic Conference’s Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year, watched his top male runner, junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) set program history on a number of fronts, and added success as the head coach of the U.S. Marine Corps Regional Running Program.

The Phoenixville, Pennsylvania resident started his amazing run at the NJAC Cross Country Championships Oct. 27, when the Rutgers-Camden men posted their highest finish ever, placing second to national powerhouse The College of New Jersey. That finish was paced by Stewart, who set a program 8K record (25:38.99) and became the first Rutgers-Camden male to ever earn All-NJAC First Team honors.
On Nov. 10, Stewart raised the ante and lowered his record, running a 25:17.9 to finish 18th overall at the NCAA Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championships. Stewart’s performance helped him set another standard, becoming the first Rutgers-Camden runner to qualify for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, where he will be competing Saturday, Nov. 17, at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

“Travis faced a critical decision before two miles, and he made the right choice,” said Puleo about the NCAA regionals, held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York. “He needed to get to the pack in the front of the race. The initial group of about 40 runners had split into parts. He got in the group of 18 and that was the race. He made the right decision.

“Travis and I were confident he would qualify for nationals. Everything up to that point pointed to him being able to do it.”

Not only did Stewart lower the program standard for the Rutgers-Camden men, but freshman Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) set the Lady Raptors’ 6K program record in the same race, running a 23:07.5. Wright added honors Nov. 12 as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Rookie of the Week for her performance.

Earlier in the season, her teammate Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) received the NJAC Rookie of the Week award, and England captured All-NJAC Second Team honors at the conference meet Oct. 27. Stewart, meanwhile, earned All-NJAC Runner of the Week and All-ECAC Div. III Runner of the Week honors the week of Sept. 11, and he became Rutgers-Camden’s first male runner to earn All-NJAC First Team honors at the conference meet. A pair of his teammates – sophomore Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) and senior Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) were named to the All-NJAC Second Team.

All that success led Puleo to his second straight honor as the NJAC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year.

“It’s nice that the kids performed to their capabilities,” said Puleo, who also was honored in 2005 as the NJAC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Co-Coach of the Year. “It was nice, for the second straight year, to be acknowledged by my peers.”

Not only has Puleo accomplished plenty on the collegiate level, but his United States Marine Corps team is on the rise as well. Puleo saw his squad shine during the Marine Corps Marathon, a huge event which was held in Washington, D.C., the same day as the NJAC cross country meet.

Puleo was named as the head coach of the U.S. Marine Corps Regional Running Program during the summer of 2006. He is responsible for coaching the national team for that branch of the armed forces, preparing it for everything from local competitions to events as big as the 2008 Olympic Trials.

During the Marines Corps Marathon, the USMC team annually competes in a Challenge Cup against Great Britain’s Royal Navy team. The total times of the top two female runners and the top three male runners are computed to determine the winner. This season, for the first time since 1997, the USMC men’s team beat the Royal Navy team, with an aggregate time of 7:42.50 to the Royal Navy’s 8:10.08 clocking. The U.S. Marines women’s team also won the Challenge Cup, 6:17.26 to 7:08.38.

The Marine Corps Marathon featured approximately 20,600 finishers. Puleo notes that he “coached seven men in the top 50 and four women in the top 80.”  His top runners, Timothy Tapply of Natick, Mass., and Jennifer Ledford of Carlsbad, Calif., finished seventh and ninth, respectively, in the men’s and women’s races.

While Puleo is certainly enjoying his run of success, he doesn’t have time to take a breather. Puleo and Stewart fly out Thursday, headed for the NCAA cross country nationals in Minnesota.

“It’s another step on the road,” Puleo said. “We’re in uncharted territory now.”

NJAC names Rutgers-Camden’s Wright
Women’s Cross Country Rookie of the Week

CAMDEN (Nov. 12, 2007) – Rutgers University-Camden freshman Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) has been named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Rookie of the Week following an outstanding performance at the NCAA Div. IIII Atlantic Regionals Saturday.

Wright posted a 23:07.5 clocking to finish 33rd out of a field of 255 runners in the women’s 6K race, breaking the Rutgers-Camden program mark of 24:07.1 set by Tina DiGiovanni at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals on Nov. 15, 2003. The race was held at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York.

Wright, who was named South Jersey’s scholastic Runner of the Year in 2005 by both the Courier-Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer newspapers, was the second Lady Raptor to notch NJAC Rookie of the Week honors this season. Freshman Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) won the award on Sept. 11. England also had an outstanding meet at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals, finishing 57th overall with a time of 23:56.6 to also pass DiGiovanni’s old program record.

In addition to Wright and England, the Rutgers-Camden cross country program saw junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) earn honors as the NJAC Runner of the Week on Sept. 11. He added honors as the ECAC Div. III Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week the next day.

Stewart had a phenomenal race at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals, finishing 18th overall and breaking his own program record with a time of 25:17.9. He also became the first Rutgers-Camden runner to qualify for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, where he will be competing Saturday, Nov. 17, at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Stewart’s clocking at the Atlantic Regionals broke his own program record for a certified 8K course, a 25:38.99 clocking set at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 27 at Richard Stockton College.

Rutgers-Camden shatters program records
at NCAA Atlantic Cross Country Regionals

BRONX, NY (Nov. 10, 2007) – Junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) and freshman Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) broke Rutgers University-Camden program records to spark the Scarlet Raptors to an outstanding day at the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championships here Saturday.

The cross country regionals were held at Van Cortlandt Park.

Stewart finished 18th overall in a time of 25:17.9 in the 271-runner 8K race. That time broke his own program record for a certified 8K course, a mark of 25:38.99 set at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships on Oct. 27 at Richard Stockton College.

Wright, meanwhile, blazed to a 23:07.5 clocking to finish 33rd out of a field of 255 runners in the women’s 6K race. Her time broke the Rutgers-Camden mark of 24:07.1 set by Tina DiGiovanni at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals on Nov. 15, 2003.

Not only did Wright pass DiGiovanni’s school record, but freshman Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) also broke the old mark, running a 23:56.6 to finish 57th overall.

The Rutgers-Camden men finished 12th out of 39 teams with 402 points in the race won by host New York University (37 points).
The individual male winner was Peter Kosgei of Hamilton, who ran a 24:18.0.

On the women’s side, Geneseo and Plattsburgh tied for the title with 41 points apiece. Rutgers-Camden finished 26th out of 37 teams with 722 points.

The individual female winner was Liz Montgomery of Geneseo, posting a 21:06.0 clocking.

In addition to Stewart, the Rutgers-Camden men saw five runners grouped between 90th and 117th places. Junior G. Brandon Gordon (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) was 90th (26:47.8), followed by freshman Jason Kendall (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) in 91st place (26:48.2). Those times are the 11th and 12th-best 8K times in program history.

Not far behind was sophomore Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen), who was 98th with a 26:53.5 clocking, the 15th-fastest 8K time in Rutgers-Camden history. Sophomore Frank Iwanicki (Edgewater Park, NJ/Holy Cross) ran the program’s 18th-fastest 8K time, a 27:03.9 clocking to finish 105th overall.

Senior Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) was sixth on the Raptors and 117th overall with a time of 27:13.9, while sophomore Akeem Lloyd (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) rounded out the Raptor team. Lloyd ran a 28:10.4 to finish 152nd overall.

On the women’s side, every Lady Raptor set a Rutgers-Camden personal best for a 6K race. Wright and England weren’t the only two Lady Raptors placing their names on the list of the fastest 6K times in program history. Sophomore Brandee Neiderhofer (Absecon, NJ/Holy Spirit) finished 190th in a time of 27:12.1 for the 16th-fastest 6K time.

Freshman Ayla Maldonado (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), junior Stephanie Scarpa (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional) and junior Becca Taylor (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) finished 230th, 242nd and 253rd, respectively, in times of 30:12.2, 31:24.7 and 37:55.8.

Sat. 10    at NCAA Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championships
                (at Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY)
        MEN (8K): 1. New York University, 37; 2. Cortland, 46; 3. TCNJ, 120; 4. Geneseo, 126; 5. St. Lawrence, 154; 6. RIT, 178; 7. Rochester, 205; 8. Hamilton, 266; 9. Nazareth, 309; 10. Ithaca, 353; 11. Brockport, 387; 12. Rutgers-Camden, 402; 13. Fredonia, 410; 14. Oneonta, 412; 15. Plattsburgh, 415; 16. RPI, 433; 17. Utica, 477; 18. Vassar, 478; 19. Rowan, 553; 20. Stevens Tech, 575; 21. Oswego, 580; 22. Ramapo, 594; 23. Alfred, 633; 24. USMMA, 670; 25. Richard Stockton, 758; 26. Union, 794; 27. Clarkson, 813; 28. Hobart, 857; 29. SUNYIT, 922; 30. New Paltz, 943; 31. Hartwick, 956; 32. Maritime, 994; 33. Kean, 1061; 34. John Jay, 1080; 35. Rutgers-Newark, 1149; 36. Hunter, 1158; 37. Baruch, 1164; 38. Potsdam, 1181; 39. Mt. St. Vincent, 1208.
Leading runner: Peter Kosgei (Hamilton), 24:18.0
Leading Rutgers-Camden runner: Travis Stewart, 25:17.9*
        *8K program record
        WOMEN (5K): 1. (tie) Geneseo and Plattsburgh, 41; 3. Ithaca, 116; 4. TCNJ, 146; 5. Cortland, 171; 6. Rochester, 275; 7. RPI, 294; 8. (tie) St. Lawrence and Nazareth, 303; 10. Brockport, 323; 11. Hamilton, 334; 12. Vassar, 356; 13. RIT, 400; 14. Alfred, 441; 15. Fredonia, 463; 16. (tie) Stevens Tech and Richard Stockton, 488; 18. Oneonta, 535; 19. Ramapo, 541; 20. Rowan, 635; 21. Drew, 659; 22. Oswego, 661; 23. Utica, 697; 24. New Paltz, 711; 25. NYU, 718; 26. Rutgers-Camden, 722; 27. St. Joseph’s-Patchogue, 750; 28. Union, 766; 29. William Smith, 793; 30. Baruch, 805; 31. Clarkson, 847; 32. Hunter, 894; 33. USMMA, 900; 34. Mt. St. Vincent, 917; 35. Hartwick, 964; 36. Lehman, 1012; 37. John Jay, 1058.
Leading runner: Liz Montgomery (Geneseo), 21:06.0
Leading Rutgers-Camden runner: Vanessa Wright, 23:07.5*
        *6K program record

Stewart, Rutgers-Camden men spark
record day at NJAC cross country meet

POMONA (Oct. 27, 2007) – The Rutgers University-Camden men’s cross country team posted its best showing ever at the New Jersey Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships and junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) set a program record for an 8K race as they both finished second in the annual conference meet held Saturday morning at Richard Stockton College.

The Scarlet Raptors finished second with 65 points, trailing only The College of New Jersey, which won its 14th consecutive NJAC title with 22 points. The Raptors’ second-place finish shattered their previous high of fifth place, accomplished at the 2006 NJAC championships.

Stewart, meanwhile, posted a time of 25:38.99 to break his own program record for a certified 8K course, a clocking of 26:02.0 at the New York University Invitational Sept. 15.

The Lady Raptors, meanwhile, finished fifth out of six teams with 143 points in a race also won by TCNJ. The Lions captured their 13th straight NJAC crown with 15 points.

Leading the way for Rutgers-Camden was freshman Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township), whose time of 24:28.01 was the second-fastest 6K time in Rutgers-Camden history. Only Tina DiGiovanni’s 24:07.1 at the NCAA Atlantic Regionals (Nov. 15, 2003) was faster.

The outstanding day led to numerous honors for Rutgers-Camden, whose Head Coach, Joe Puleo, earned NJAC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year honors for the second straight season. Stewart, meanwhile, became the first All-NJAC First Team runner in program history, while senior Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) and sophomore Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) each captured All-NJAC Second Team honors by finishing 13th and 14th overall. Fox ran a time of 27:08.45 and Salamon posted a 27:10.22 clocking.

Last season Stewart and Salamon each earned All-NJAC Second Team honors to become the first men in program history to earn All-NJAC cross country recognition.

In addition to Stewart, Fox and Salamon, England earned All-NJAC Second Team recognition on the women’s side. She became the first Lady Raptor on the all-conference team since Joelle Diener earned Second Team All-NJAC honors in 2005.

The men’s race, which featured a field of 53 runners, was captured by TCNJ junior Chris Guerriero in 25:25.48, who earned his second straight honor as the conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year. On the women’s side, TCNJ senior Angela Tecco was the conference champion with a 23:48.94 clocking, out-running a field of 46 runners.

In addition to their all-conference trio, the Rutgers-Camden men were sparked by freshman Jason Kendall (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township), who was 16th overall (27:11.91), while sophomore Frank Iwanicki (Edgewater Park, NJ/Holy Cross) and Akeem Lloyd (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) finished 20th (27:34.12) and 21st (27:35.99), respectively. Junior George Brandon Gordon (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) ran 27th (28:43.05) in the men’s race.

England paced five Lady Raptors in the race, which included a 26th-place finish by sophomore Brandee Neiderhofer (Absecon, NJ/Holy Spirit) in a time of 27:22.56. Junior Stephanie Scarpa (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional), freshman Gabby Gola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) and junior Becca Taylor (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) finished 41st, 44th and 45th, respectively, in times of 37:18.94, 38:27.79 and 41:24.50.

In addition to the men’s and women’s races, a Mixed 6K race was also run, featuring 36 competitors, including six from the Scarlet Raptors men’s team. The Raptors’ lead runner in that event was sophomore Efren Cazales (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton), who was fourth overall with a 23:04.36 clocking. Also competing were junior Stefon Coleman (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove), sophomore Patrick Eigbe Jr. (Galloway, NJ/Absegami), sophomore Justin Edmonds (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), freshman Nick Papaioannou (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) and sophomore Michael McClain (Sewell, NJ/Bishop Eustace). Coleman finished 16th (24:01.25), Eigbe 22nd (25:36.67), Edmonds 23rd (25:38.61), Papaioannou 24th (25:58.87) and McClain 28th (30:33.05).

Rutgers-Camden returns to action Nov. 10 in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Cross Country Championships at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, New York.

Rutgers-Camden men’s cross country
awarded Cabrini Invitational title

PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 13, 2007) – Rutgers University-Camden junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) and senior Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) finished second and third overall to lead the Scarlet Raptors men’s cross country team to a delayed championship at the Cabrini Cross Country Invitational here Saturday at Fairmount Park.

Rutgers-Camden notched 53 points and originally was listed as finishing second behind Haverford (35) in the 19-team field, but the Scarlet Raptors captured the title when Haverford’s coach removed his team from the scoring after the top seven failed to properly run the course. All of the Fords’ individuals were removed from the scoring, cutting the field from the original 159 runners to 142. Team scores were not updated to reflect the withdrawal of Haverford’s squad.

On the women’s side, the Lady Raptors finished seventh out of 15 teams with 204 points. Ursinus College won the women’s race with 69 points.

Stewart finished second only to Edward Penetar of host Cabrini College, who ran the 8K race in 26:23.48. Stewart had a time of 26:33.15, while Fox followed at 27:12.37 to give the Scarlet Raptors an outstanding one-two punch.

Haverford’s pack had originally finished fifth through ninth before the Fords withdrew. Of the 142 male runners who finally counted in the scoring,  Rutgers-Camden sophomore Frank Iwanicki (Edgewater Park, NJ/Holy Cross) finished third on the Raptors and fifth overall (27:46.86), followed by freshman Jason Kendall (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township), who was 10th overall (27:58.67) following the exclusion of six Haverford runners above him. The Scarlet Raptors also had the 16th and 17th runners in junior George Brandon Gordon (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) and sophomore Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) finishing with times of 28:12.35 and 28:14.38, respectively.

Sophomore Akeem Lloyd (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) finished 40th overall (29:21.00), while junior Stefon Coleman (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) was 93rd (33:10.43) and sophomore Michael McClain (Sewell, NJ/Bishop Eustace) was 127th (39:04.86).
The women’s 5K race was won by Heather Miara of Georgian Court, who posted a 19:26.34 clocking. For Rutgers-Camden, freshmen Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) and Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) finished 11th and 14th, respectively, with times of 20:20.33 and 20:43.57.

Wright’s 20:20.33 time was the third-fastest 5K time in program history.

Sophomore Brandee Neiderhofer (Absecon, NJ/Holy Spirit) finished third on the Raptors and 40th overall in the 133-runner field, posting a time of 22:32.87, while freshman Ayla Maldonado (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) was 90th (26:05.76), freshman Gabby Gola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) finished 96th (26:40.14), and juniors Stephanie Scarpa (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional) and Becca Taylor (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) finished 105th and 126th, respectively. Scarpa posted a 27:38.25 clocking and Taylor set her personal best at 31:51.19.

Rutgers-Camden returns to action Oct. 27 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships at Richard Stockton College.

at Cabrini Cross Country Invitational
(at Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA)

Stewart leads Rutgers-Camden men
to Gulf Coast Cross Country Stampede title

PENSACOLA, Florida (Sept. 29, 2007) – The Rutgers-Camden men’s cross country team took its act on the road here Saturday and the Scarlet Raptors showed another region of the nation why they are a program on the rise.

Junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) captured the individual championship and sparked the Scarlet Raptors to the team title at the Gulf Coast Cross Country Stampede, hosted by the University of West Florida. The race was held at the Escambia County Equestrian Center.

Stewart, who has been the individual champion at two of the three invitationals the Raptors have run this season, posted an 8K time of 26:47 to lead the field of 64 runners. The Scarlet Raptors, meanwhile, posted a team score of 45 to capture their second team title in three outings this fall. There were seven teams in the race, including the strong host team, which finished season with 47 points and Florida Gulf Coast University, which was third with 49.

Rutgers-Camden and Stewart also posted victories at the season-opening Lebanon Valley College Invitational Sept. 8. A week later, the Raptors received one vote toward their first Division III Atlantic Region Top 10 poll after a 10th-place finish in the New York University Invitational.

In addition to Stewart, senior Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) was seventh (27:37), while sophomore Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) was right behind him at eighth with a time of 27:37.

Freshman Jason Kendall (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) was 14th overall and fourth on the Raptors (28:05), while sophomore Frank Iwanicki (Edgewater Park, NJ/Holy Cross) posted a time of 28:24 to finish fifth on the team and 19th overall.
Rounding out the Rutgers-Camden team effort were sophomore Akeem Lloyd (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) and freshman Nick Papaioannou (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township). Lloyd was 24th in the race (29:05), while Papaioannou ran a 31:02 to finish 42nd.

While the Raptor men were running in Florida, the women were competing at the NJAIAW Meet at Richard Stockton College in Pomona, where they finished fourth. Rutgers-Camden’s full team returns to action Oct. 12 at the Penn State National Invitational.

England leads Lady Raptors
at NJAIAW cross country meet

POMONA (Sept. 29, 2007) – Rutgers University-Camden freshman Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) ran the seventh-fastest 6K time in program history with a 25:08.50 to finish eighth overall and lead the Lady Raptors to a fourth-place finish at the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NJAIAW) Meet here Saturday morning.

England’s performance helped the Lady Raptors finish fourth of six New Jersey teams with 109 points. Host Richard Stockton College won the event with 34 points.

The individual champion was Heather Miara of Georgian Court, who posted a 23:40.14 clocking to lead the field of 52 runners.

The Rutgers-Camden women competed in the NJAIAW Meet while the men were at the Gulf Coast Cross Country Stampede in Pensacola, Florida.

The Lady Raptors’ second-place runner was sophomore Brandee Neiderhofer (27:13.93), who finished 22nd and was followed immediately by freshman Vanessa Wright (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield). Wright, a former South Jersey Runner of the Year, was making her Rutgers-Camden debut after bouncing back from injuries that have sidelined her for a year. She posted a 27:14.23 clocking in her first Raptor event.

The Lady Raptors’ team also included freshman Ayla Maldonado (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), who was 38th overall (31:22.49), freshman Gabby Gola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) at 43rd (32:30.21) and junior Becca Taylor (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights), who finished 51st with a 40:13.59 clocking.

Rutgers-Camden’s full team returns to action Oct. 12 at the Penn State National Invitational.

Raptors make debut in regional poll

The Rutgers-Camden men's cross country team broke into the Division III Atlantic Region cross country poll for the first time, as the Raptors received one vote in the Also Receiving Votes section of the regional Top 10 in the poll for the week ending Sept. 15. See poll

Stewart leads Scarlet Raptors
at NYU Invitational

BRONX, NY (Sept. 15, 2007) – The Rutgers University-Camden men’s cross country team finished 10th out of 25 squads and the women were 20th of 24 as the Scarlet Raptors competed in the Ninth Annual New York University Invitational here Saturday in Van Cortlandt Park.

The Raptors competed in the Regional Preview Races, with the men compiling 372 points in the 8K race, which was won by St. Lawrence (50). The women’s race, a 6K event, was won by Geneseo State (39). Rutgers-Camden finished with 632.

On the men’s side, junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) once again paced the Raptors, finishing 15th overall out of 254 runners in a time of 26:02.0. Senior Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) was 47th (26:42.9), while sophomore Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) ran 66th overall and third on the team in a time of 27:04.2.

Freshman Jason Kendall (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) was 120th overall (27:57.5), while sophomore Frank Iwanicki (Edgewater Park, NJ/Holy Cross) posted a time of 28:00.9 to finish 124th overall. The Raptors’ sophomore Akeem Lloyd (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) finished 137th (28:17.7), junior Brandon Gordon (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) was 176th (29.56.4), sophomore Justin Edmonds (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) was 219th (33:21.6) and sophomore Patrick Eigbe Jr. (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) finished 233rd (35:38.8).

On the women’s side, Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) finished 78th overall out of 257 runners, posting a 6K time of 24:54.4. Sophomore Brandee Neiderhofer (Absecon, NJ/Holy Spirit) finished 178th (27:36.1), followed by a trio of freshmen in Ayla Maldonado (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), Gabrielle Gola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) and Nicole Racite (Audubon, NJ/Audubon). Maldonado was 226th (31:42.6), Gola 243rd (33:07.9) and Racite 255th (39:07.0). Rounding out the Lady Raptors’ team was sophomore Becca Taylor (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights), who was 257th in a time of 41:06.0.

Rutgers-Camden is idle next week and will return to action on Sept. 29 in separate races. The men run at the Gulf Coast Cross Country Stampede at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, while the women travel to Richard Stockton College for the NJAIAW Championships.

at New York University Invitational (Regional Preview Races)                                                                
                (at Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY)
        MEN (8K): 1. St. Lawrence, 50; 2. Geneseo State, 53; 3. TCNJ, 82; 4. Dickinson, 138; 5. Rochester, 142; 6. New York University, 172; 7. RIT, 179; 8. Ithaca, 321; 9. RPI, 335; 10. Rutgers-Camden, 372; 11. Plattsburgh, 419; 12. Vassar, 444; 13. Ramapo, 452; 14. Rowan, 477; 15. Stevens Tech, 667; 16. USMMA, 721; 17. New Paltz, 881; 18. Baruch, 1012; 19. Drew, 1018; 20. John Jay, 1021; 21. Farmingdale State, 1033; 22. SUNY-Purchase, 1078; 23. Lehman, 1111; 24. College of Mount Saint Vincent, 1129; 25. Polytechnic, 1138.
Leading runner: Chris Guerriero (TCNJ), 25:25
Leading Rutgers-Camden runner: Travis Stewart, 26:02.
        WOMEN (6K): 1. Geneseo State, 39; 2. Dickinson, 80; 3. Johns Hopkins, 105; 4. Ithaca College, 108; 5. St. Lawrence, 157; 6. TCNJ, 161; 7. RPI, 197; 8. Plattsburgh, 215; 9. Rochester, 295; 10. RIT, 334; 11. Vassar, 341; 12. Ramapo, 362; 13. 13. Stevens Tech, 379; 14. New Paltz St., 411; 15. USMMA, 444; 16. Drew, 451; 17. New York University, 464; 18. St. Joseph’s-Patchogue, 580; 19. College of Mount Saint Vincent, 620; 20. Rutgers-Camden, 632; 21. SUNY-Purchase, 649; 22. Lehman, 671; 23. John Jay, 673; 24. Baruch College, 731.
Leading runner: Caitlin Bradley (Dickinson), 21:30.4
Leading Rutgers-Camden runner: Robin England, 24:54.4

NJAC honors Stewart, England
for opening-week performances

CAMDEN (Sept. 11, 2007) – It didn’t take long for Rutgers University-Camden cross country runners Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) and Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) to earn recognition from the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

Following their brilliant opening-week performances at the Lebanon Valley College Invitational Saturday, Stewart and England received the first weekly cross country NJAC honors of the fall season Tuesday.

Stewart, a junior, was named the NJAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week. England, a freshman, captured honors as the NJAC Women’s Cross Country Rookie of the Week.

Stewart finished first out of 108 runners at the LVC Invitational with a winning time of 27:10.63. His time was the 13th-best 8K clocking in program history and helped Rutgers-Camden win the team title in its opening meet.

Stewart’s performance also earned him honors as Rutgers-Camden’s Raptor of the Week on Sept. 10.

England, meanwhile, made her collegiate debut a memorable one. She led the Lady Raptors’ effort with a time of 21:40.68 in the 5,100-meter race. She finished 12th in a field of 94 runners.

Rutgers-Camden will run at the New York University Invitational Saturday, Sept. 15, beginning at 9:45 a.m. in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Stewart leads Scarlet Raptors
at LVC cross country invitational

INDIANTOWN GAP, Penn. (Sept. 8, 2007) – Junior Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) and the Rutgers University-Camden men’s cross country season found an impressive way to open the season at the Lebanon Valley College Cross Country Invitational here Saturday.

Stewart finished first of 108 runners to lead the Scarlet Raptors to a first-place finish. The Raptors had 51 points to beat out nine other teams, including second-place Messiah College (63). Stewart, meanwhile, was clocked at 27:10.63 in the 8,050-meter race, which was held at Memorial Lake State Park in Indiantown Gap. Second-place runner Paul Thistle of Susquehanna finished in a time of 27:27.05.

The Scarlet Raptors’ strong effort also included a fourth-place finish by sophomore Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) in a time of 28:15.88, while senior Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) was sixth at 28:39.01.

Rounding out the top five runners for the Raptors were sophomore Frank Iwanicki (Edgewater Park, NJ/Holy Cross) and freshman Jason Kendall (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township). Iwanicki finished 13th (29:21.24). Kendall, making his collegiate debut, was 30th (30:25.18).

Featuring possibly the deepest and most talented team in program history, Rutgers-Camden also received strong opening-day performances from several other runners. Junior Brandon Gordon (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) finished 34th (30:46.27), sophomore Akeem Lloyd (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) was 52nd (31:57.07) and freshman Nick Papaioannou (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) was 54th (32:06.57).

Rounding out the deep Raptor contingent and finishing 100th, 101st and 102nd, respectively, were sophomore Patrick Eigbe Jr. (Galloway, NJ/Absegami), sophomore Michael McClain (Sewell, NJ/Bishop Eustace) and sophomore Justin Edmonds (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown). They posted times of 46:52.74, 47:17.73 and 48:04.14.

Although the Rutgers-Camden women’s team was incomplete in its first race, the young Lady Raptors also showed their potential for a big season. Freshman Robin England (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) finished 12th out of 94 runners with a time of 21:40.68 in the 5,100-meter race. The 94-woman race was won by Marywood University’s Paige Jablonski (19:44.18).

The Lady Raptors also features freshmen Ayla Maldonado (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) and Nicole Racite (Audubon, NJ/Audubon), who finished 77th and 91st, respectively, at 28:56.02 and 36:42.06. Sophomore Becca Taylor (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights), the team’s only returning letter-winner, finished 93rd at 37:09.58.

Messiah College won the women’s competition with 26 points, followed by Marywood University (55 points).

Rutgers-Camden will run at the New York University Invitational Saturday, Sept. 15, beginning at 9:45 a.m. in Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Sept. 8    at Lebanon Valley College Cross Country Invitational Meet
                (at Memorial Lake State Park, Indiantown Gap, Penn.)