Coming off 2007’s track season, the Stony Brook Seawolves look to continue their winning ways with an equally strong 2008 season. After dominating the field of competitors last year, Juniors Daire Birmingham, from Portmarnock, Ireland, Alex Felce, from Stroud, England, Laura Huet, from Carrickmines, Ireland, and Jessica Hampson, the local girl from Smithtown, New York, are looked upon to lead the group to victory. These four were consistently placing in the top finishers throughout the entire 2007 season, with numerous nominations of Athlete of the Week, chosen by both Stony Brook and the America East Conference. The Seawolves face the daunting challenge of besting last years performance, which included many first place finishes and culminated with six athletes named to the America East All-Academic Team.
The Stony Brook program is one of teamwork, and these four athletes will not be able to take on the rest of the America East Conference without support. Returning sophomores from the mens’ team this year include Tim Hodge, from Tawa New Zealand, Brandon Leung, from Rego Park, New York, and Alex Varone, from Providence, Rhode Island. The men’s team produced several highlights from last year, with one of the top highlights coming all the way back in October, where the men finished first in a field of nine teams with four members placing in the top five in the Central Connecticut Mini-Meet. Other highlights include Alex Felce’s being named the America East top scholar athlete and the team finishing second in the America East Cross Country Championships.
On the womens’ side, the Seawolves will be returning many integral parts to their successful 2007 campaign. Sophomores Carolina Cortes, from Woodmere, New York, Ruth Gillespie, from Carrickfergus, Ireland, the Van Dalen twins Holly and Lucy, from Wanganui, New Zealand, and Lisa Voltaire, from Stockholm, Sweden. The Lady Seawolves have produced many highlight worthy headlines themselves from last year, including their first ever America East Cross Country Championship in October. The women consistently competed for the top finish in every race, no matter their seeding. Huet and Hampson, were voted on numerous occasions the top performer of the week, helping the Seawolves to make a name for themselves in the world of Cross Country.
Returning to once again bring success upon the Stony Brook program is Coach Andy Ronan, the stand-out coach who was named last year as the Conference’s Women’s Cross Country Coach of the year and the Northeast Region Women’s Coach of the year.
Their first challenge comes after production date, on Friday, August 29th, here in Stony Brook, as the Seawolves host the Seawolves Invitational, the annual first race for our athletes.
