9/11/2009 3:47:40 PM
Bolstered by several returnees and some promising newcomers, the Women’s Cross Country team will begin their quest to repeat as CUNYAC Champions. The road will not be easy however, as this Cinderella team from a season ago will now be the squad that everyone is gunning for as they begin competition in 2009.
“I am excited to see our runners get out and compete this year,” said Head Coach Alex Lang, who was honored by his fellow coaches in 2008, as he was named CUNYAC Coach of the Year. “This team was so special last year because of their desire to get better and I think that will continue this year. We have a strong core returning and some very nice additions to the team.”
One of the returnees that Coach Lang speaks of is 2008 CUNYAC Rookie of the Year Joanne Mundo (Fort Hamilton / Brooklyn, NY), who finished fourth overall in the championship meet last season. Joining Mundo is Khrystyna Uhlitskykh (Fiorello H. Lagaurdia / Brooklyn, NY), who was a two time CUNYAC Rookie of the Week in her own right. Mundo and Uhlitskykh will look to improve on their excellent freshman campaigns and remain among the league’s best.
Senior Julie Davolos (CC of Philadelphia / Brooklyn, NY) and sophomore Leah Wimpfheimer (Brien McMahon / Norwalk, CT), both of whom helped clinch the title last year, are back and stronger than last season, and should be two of the better runners in the conference.
Jelena Markovic (Richmond Hill / Kew Gardens, NY), Stephanie Garafola (Edward R. Murrow / Brooklyn, NY) and Esther Jean-Gilles (Clara Barton / Brooklyn, NY) also return from last year’s championship team and have all shown improvement during early season practices.
One key runner from last season’s team who will not be returning is Huan (Kayllen) Zhang, who graduated in the spring. Zhang, who was a senior captain and a medalist at the Championship meet, will be missed by this young squad.
Two of the runners who will try to fill the void left by Zhang will be Daisy Bugarin (Mountain View / Los Angeles, CA) and Elizabeth Messina (Fiorello H. Laguardia / Brooklyn, NY). Bugarin is an accomplished runner who has been impressive in early practices. Messina has also impressed and should be among the team’s top runners this season.
Jawaria Amir (Edward R. Murrow / Brooklyn, NY), Ruth Perez (EBC Bushwick / Brooklyn, NY), Nadezhda Lyakhnovich (Talent Unlimited / Donetsk, Ukraine) and Rosanna Hui (Edward R. Murrow / Brooklyn, NY) have all shown promise and will be counted on this season.
The Brooklyn Women will look to start their season on a high not as they run in their first meet of the season, the Baruch College Invitational, this Sunday, September 13 at 10:00 am at Van Cortlandt Park.