2009 Women’s Cross Country
2009 Men’s Cross Country
2009 Elon Cross Country 2
Table of Contents 2009 Elon Cross Country Quick Facts...................................................1 Welcome to Elon.......................................2-3 Academics....................................................4 Season Outlook Q&A..................................5 Team Rosters................................................6 Southern Conference..................................6 Legend of the Phoenix................................6 Women’s Bios..........................................7-10 Men’s Bios.............................................10-12 Head Coach Christine Engel...................13 Administration.....................................14-16 Facilities......................................................17 Record Book...............................................18 Women’s Honors and Awards................19 Men’s Honors and Awards......................20 Team Photos............................................ IFC Elon University....................................... IBC Schedule....................................................BC
Quick Facts School.................................. Elon University Location........................................Elon, N.C. Enrollment.............................................5,628 Founded..................................................1889 Nickname........................................ Phoenix Colors..................................Maroon & Gold Conference.....................................Southern President...................... Dr. Leo M. Lambert Director of Athletics................. Dave Blank Head Coach........................ Christine Engel Alma Mater............................. Clemson, ‘96 Year at Elon....................................... Second Media Relations..................... Jen Blackwell Office Phone.............................336.278.6634 Cell Phone................................336.303-6874 Email.........................jblackwell2@elon.edu Website............................. elonphoenix.com
Check out the Phoenix on the Web…
www.elonphoenix.com
On the Cover (From top left) Emily Fournier, Matt Richardson, Caitlin Beeler, Will Schefer, Allyson Costa and Justin Gianni.
Credits
Writing & Editing: Jen Blackwell, Asst. Dir. of Media Relations. Design: Erica Madden Roberson using Adobe InDesign CS3 and Adobe Photoshop CS3. Photos: Andrew Brickey, Tony Brown, Megan Donald, John Flowers, Bob de la Fe’, Grant Halverson, Jerome Sturm, Cliff Welch, WG Sports Photos and others.
2008 Elon Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Hagan Stone Classic Champions
Printing: Legacy Graphics, Zebulon, N.C. Special Thanks: Chris Rash, Christine Engel and longtime Elon sports historian Rev. Jim Waggoner.
2009 Phoenix Cross Country
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Being a student-athlete at Elon has been an extremely rewarding experience for me from day one. I have been pushed and challenged not only on the cross country course, but also in the classroom. Elon has taught me the importance of balance between athletics and academics, a skill I can apply to my life after college. I also feel very fortunate to be a part of The Love School of Business; it provides it’s students with hands-on learning experiences, engaging faculty and lots of room to grow as individuals. I am very happy with my decision to run and study at Elon, and would recommend the experience to anyone! Katy Burns, Junior Women’s Cross Country Runner
Did You Know? • Elon has 4,992 undergraduates from 43 states and 51 other countries. • Elon is nationally recognized for active learning programs called the Elon Experiences: internships and co-ops, study abroad, undergraduate research, leadership and service learning. • Elon ranks first among U.S. master’s-level universities in the number of students studying abroad with 71% of recent graduates having spent at least one term abroad. • With the help of the Elon Career Center, 80% of Elon students participate in internships. • For three straight years, Elon was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Services, the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its committment to service learning and civic engagement.
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Welcome to Elon
My experience at Elon has been great. The small class size, supportive staff and immense student resources create an atmosphere necessary for student growth and development. Being a student-athlete only magnifies the positive qualities of Elon. It has kept me more focused on my responsibilities and goals in life and has made me a more efficient person. The athletic facilities and staff have helped me and my teammates take our abilities to a whole new competitive level. Elon cross country has not only made me a better athlete, it has made me a better person.� Andrew Garrison, Junior Men’s Cross Country Runner
2009 Phoenix Football
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Academic Excellence • Elon University is a dynamic private comprehensive university known for excellent arts and sciences along with outstanding professional programs. The Education Trust recognizes Elon for excellence in freshman retention and outstanding graduation rates. • Elon was named the nation’s #1 “School to Watch” by U.S. News & World Report in the magazine’s 2009 “America’s Best Colleges” guide. The 70 colleges and universities on the list are noted as “schools everyone should be watching.” • U.S. News & World Report also ranks Elon #2 among 118 Southern master’s level universities and among the top universities in the nation in these “Programs to Look For” categories: first-year experiences, study abroad, internships, undergraduate research/creative projects, learning communities, service learning and senior capstone. No other school in the nation received so many top rankings. • Elon consistently earns top ratings in the annual National Survey of Student Engagement on each of the five benchmarks of excellence: - level of academic challenge - active and collaborative learning - student-faculty interaction - enriching educational experiences - supportive campus environment • Elon offers 51 majors in four schools and has a total of 4,992 undergraduate and 636 graduate students. The average class size is 22 with an overall student to faculty ratio of 14 to 1.
Affordability • Elon offers a top-value education by every measure: in 2009, both Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and The Princeton Review named Elon one of the nations’s top 50 “best value” private universities. The 2009 edition of Fiske Guide to Colleges named Elon a “best buy” university, based on academic quality and reasonable cost. • Elon is one of the nation’s top seven best values for students who want to attend a university with outstanding academics at an affordable cost, according to Bruce G. Hammond, former managing editor of the Fiske Guide to Colleges, in an article on Reader’s Digest.com
Academic Support • The Elon University Athletic Department is proactive in ensuring the academic success of all student-athletes from their recruiting visit through graduation. Integral components of academic support for athletics include the academic enhancement program, registration services, tutorial services, travel notices, recruiting visits, laptops and life skills. • All freshmen and select upperclassmen participate in the Academic Enhancement Program. All student-athletes in AEP meet with their assigned academic coordinator each week to discuss academic progress and concerns. In addition to weekly meetings, student-athletes in AEP are required to complete monitored study hours. To accommodate class and practice schedules, both daytime and nighttime options are available to complete monitored study hours. • In addition to the academic support provided by Elon Athletics, programs are also in place to promote and enhance the student-athlete experience. Programs and speakers address topics such as freshman transition issues, health and wellness, and career/graduate school preparation. The Student-Athlete Advisory Council is an organization for student-athletes, run by student-athletes, to provide an opportunity to serve the athletic, Elon and greater Burlington communities.
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2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Heading into her second year at the helm of the men’s and women’s cross country programs, head coach Christine Engel is optimistic about her team and is eager to build on the success from last season.
there is always an athlete in my office at most points during the day! Engel on the women’s program… With two all-conference runners on the women’s team, what are the expectations for this season?
A year ago, Engel saw two members of the women’s team, Emily Fournier and Melanie Reyer, earn all-conference honors and seven of Elon’s top times broken on the men’s side. Engel sat down to answer some questions about the cross country program, the new on-campus course and the excitement of hosting two meets, including the 2009 Southern Conference Championships. What will it mean to your studentathletes and the school to be hosting the conference championship this season as well as the first Elon Invitational? CE: I think it is significant for our program to be hosting these two meets, especially the SoCon Championships. It is great for our team to be able to compete at home on a course they are very familiar with. Also, I think it is great exposure for our program. People from the university and community will be able to see our athletes in action. How will the new cross country course help your runners and what does its addition mean to the program? CE: I certainly think that our team is very excited about the opportunity to race on a course that they train on often. There will obviously be a level of comfort there when race day approaches. How difficult is it to compete in the Southern Conference? CE: The SoCon is a very competitive conference. Both the men’s and women’s sides are very deep. I have great respect for all the other coaches in the conference both the ones that have perennially been at the top and the ones, like us, that are trying to get there. How much of an impact will the freshmen have on the teams? CE: I am very excited about our incoming men and women. I truly believe that they have the ability to come in and make an immediate impact. They are all highly motivated and understand what we are trying to do as a program. 2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Engel on the men’s program… How exciting was it to have two runners on the men’s team break the school record in the 8K last season? CE: That was a big deal for our program! Not only to have two student-athletes (Will Schefer and Matt Richardson) break the school record, but the fact that they ran within a second of each other in the process was very exciting. Schefer and Richardson are only entering their sophomore and junior years, respectively, so it will be exciting to have them help bring the program to the next level. The men’s team is a young team. How will you try to build on the success of the team from last season? CE: Last season we ran seven of the top 10 times ever run in Elon history. I think the team really bought into everything and started to realize their capability as a team. There was a hunger when we finished the season and the men are aware that there is a lot more we are hoping to accomplish as a team in 2009. Aside from running, how else do you train your athletes, both mentally and physically? CE: There is much more to our sport than just going out and running every day. I certainly preach that they need to take care of the “little things” and manage their life outside of practice. Making sure they get enough sleep, proper nutrition, balancing their lives and understanding that the choices they make will affect their performance.
CE: Emily Fournier was first-team allconference last year and continued her phenomenal year during the track season. I am obviously looking at her to build upon her successful sophomore campaign. The goal as a team is definitely to close the gap behind her. We had a strong pack two-through-seven, but we allowed too many teams to pack runners in between our first runner and our pack. Our success this upcoming season will depend on how well we can accomplish that. Was there a particular meet last season that stood apart from the rest as far as performances go? CE: I think each meet was exciting to see how well the women developed and progressed throughout the season. It was great that they all stepped up at the conference championships and I believe seven of the nine women all set personal or season bests. I think that was a testament that they all stepped up on the same day and in a championship environment. Several of your cross country runners went on to set new school records during the track and field season. How will those performances relate to the cross country season? CE: I believe that each season builds upon the previous one. We had a successful track season and I think our athletes gained a ton of confidence and really saw their hard work pay off with personal records, school records and being honored with allconference accolades. I think the attitude of the team has completely changed. That was certainly my goal in my first year was to change the culture of the program.
Also, I believe communication between a coach and athlete is critical. Every athlete is motivated differently and I certainly try and give each athlete what he or she needs to perform at their best. I love the fact that
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Name
2009 Women’s Cross Country Team Roster
Jacqueline Alnes Caitlin Beeler Katy Burns Meaghan Collins Allyson Costa Morgan Denecke Emily Fournier Lauren Fredrickson Stephanie Giunta Sarah McKenna Katelyn O’Dunne Christine Pacewicz Sullivan Parkes Melissa Provost Melanie Reyer Catherine Rossi Madison Russo Justine Schulerud Emily Tryon Courtney Whalen
Name
Year Fr. Sr. Jr. Sr. So. Fr. Jr. Jr. So. Jr. So. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. So. So. Fr. So.
Hometown
Tulsa, Okla. Cary, N.C. Cary, N.C. Boone, N.C. Hamden, Conn. Midlothian, Va. Attleboro, Mass. Great Falls, Va. Bealeton, Va. Mebane, N.C. Ellicott City, Md. Peoria, Ill. Winchester, Va. Hightstown, N.J. Charlotte, N.C. Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Wallington, Conn. North Chatham, N.Y. Gulf Breeze, Fla. Charlotte, N.C.
2009 Men’s Cross Country Team Roster
Glen Cornell Tim Garber Andrew Garrison Justin Gianni Ranley Gousse Andrew Hawkey Sean Martyn Connor Mercurio Conor O’Brien Matthew Richardson Clayton Sankey Will Schefer Lucas Walters David Wells Taylor Zorski
Year Sr. Fr. Jr. Jr. Fr. Sr. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. So. So. Fr. Sr. Jr.
Hometown
Decatur, Ga. Kennett Square, Pa. Aberdeen, N.C. Cary, N.C. Winter Park, Fla. Durham, N.C. Ridgewood, N.J. Providence, R.I. Norfolk, Mass. Crozier, Va. Charlotte, N.C. Old Brookville, N.Y. Medina, Ohio Bel Air, Md. Lincroft, N.J.
The Southern Conference The Southern Conference, which began its 89th season of intercollegiate competition in 2009, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and in helping to build lifelong leaders and role models. Academic excellence has been a major part of the Southern Conference’s tradition. Hundreds of Southern Conference student-athletes have been recognized on ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America and all-district teams. A total of 19 Rhodes Scholarship winners have been selected from conference institutions. The Conference currently consists of 12 members in five states throughout the Southeast and sponsors 19 varsity sports and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division I Championships.
The Legend of the Phoenix Throughout history there is told the legend of the rare and remarkable Phoenix, a crimson and gold bird that lived 500 years. It was sleek, swift and strong - the most marvelous bird ever created by human imagination. At the end of its life, with death approaching, it built a nest in an oak tree and was consumed in flames ignited by the sun. From the ashes emerged the next Phoenix - reborn and renewed, with strength forged in fire. Fire, too, has shaped the history of Elon University. The disastrous fire of 1923 all but destroyed Elon. Gone were Main Bulding, college records, classrooms, the library and the chapel. But within days of the fire, Elon trustees set in motion a plan for Elon to rise from the ashes, stronger than ever. The Phoenix is a powerful leader and an emblem of immortality. It is a perfect symbol for a school that is constantly renewing and recreating itself. The Elon motto, Numen Lumen, embraces the intellectual and spiritual light. And so too, through history, the Phoenix has served as a symbol of light and knowledge. The Phoenix is timeless and unique. It perfectly describes an athletics program and an institution that are rising to new levels of excellence. There is only one Phoenix. There is only one Elon. Catch the fire!
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2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Women’s Cross Country Caitlin Beeler Senior Cary, N.C. Cardinal Gibbons 2006, 2007 All-SoCon 2008: Ran a season-best time of 19:16 at the Southern Conference Championship…NCAA Regional Qualifier…Posted a 19:31 at the Blue Ridge Open…Competed in the Eye Opener, Winthrop Invitational and Hagan Stone Classic…2007: Ran a career-best time of 18:00 at the Southern Conference Championship to repeat as an all-conference performer…Clocked an 18:11 twice during the season (Disney Classic, Blue Ridge Open)…Named the team MVP…2006: Named the 2006 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year…All conference performer… Posted a school-record time of 17:59.47 in a ninth-place finish at the Southern Conference Championship…The only Elon runner to break 18:00…Elon’s number two runner. High School: All-Conference performer…Earned the Most Improved Award…Member of the 4x800-meter relay conference championship team…Led team to back-to-back state championships…Aided track team to two conference championships and a regional championship. Major: Business administration.
Meaghan Collins Senior Boone, N.C. Watauga 2008: Finished the season with a top-time of 20:27 at the NC State meet…Ran a 20:38 at the Eye Opener…Competed in the Winthrop Invitational, Hagan Stone Classic and Blue Ridge Open…2007: Finished with a time of 18:17 at the Western Carolina Classic…Clocked a 21:49 at the Blue Ridge Open…2006: Top time of the season was 20:46 at the Gamecock Invitational. High School: All-conference team member…All-Piedmont selection…Team captain…Named the Most Improved Runner following her junior season… Most Valuable Runner as a senior… Led her team to three cross country conference championships and four track conference championships. Major: Human Services
Katy Burns Junior Cary, N.C. Cardinal Gibbons 2008: Did not compete…2007: Competed in all six meets as a freshman…Ran a 16:26 at the Western Carolina Classic… Finished with a time of 19:49 at the Wake Forest Relays…Ran a career-best 21:20 in the 5K at the Blue Ridge Open…Clocked a 21:23.5 at the Disney Classic. High School: All-conference runner… Recorded two first-place finishes in 2006 – the Hagan Stone Five Stage Eight Mile Relay and the Wendy’s Invitational…2006 team captain…Led the squad to the 2006 state championship… Honored with the Crusader Award for her work on the cross country and indoor and outdoor track teams. Major: Business administration and accounting.
Caitlin Beeler 2006 Freshman of the Year
Emily Fournier 2008 All-Conference Runner
Emily Fournier Junior Attleboro, Mass. Attleboro 2008 All-SoCon 2008: Earned all-conference honors with a career-best time of 18:11 at the Southern Conference Championship…Finished with a 22:17 in the 6K at the NCAA Regional Championships…Ran an 18:28 at the Blue Ridge Open…Clocked an 18:29 for a first-place finish at the Hagan Stone Classic…2007: Competed in all six meets as a freshman…Clocked a 19:03 at the Disney Classic…Ran a seasonbest 18:35 at the Southern Conference Championship…Competed in the NCAA Regional where she finished with a time of 23:08.4…Earned the team’s coach’s award. High School: Three-sport letterwinner in cross country and indoor and outdoor track…Holds multiple records at her high school…Served as a team captain for her cross country squad…Received the 2003 MSTCA Sportsmanship Award. Major: Exercise sport science.
Lauren Fredrickson Junior Great Falls, Va. Langley 2008: Ran a career-best 20:01 at the Winthrop Invitational…Finished with a time of 20:07 in the Eye Opener…Also ran in the Hagan Stone Classic and Blue Ridge Open…2007: Ran in four meets during 2007…Finished with a time of 20:06, a season-best in the 5K, at the Blue Ridge Open. High School: Squad won the 2006 District Championship…A district and regional competitor in cross country… Also competed as a distance runner on her indoor track team. Major: Business administration.
2009 Phoenix Cross Country
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Sarah McKenna
Allyson Costa
Junior Mebane, N.C. Eastern Alamance
Sophomore Hamden, Conn. Hamden
2008: Competed in two meets as a sophomore…Ran a career-best in the 5K at the Blue Ridge Open with a time of 21:02…Finished with a 21:06 at the Hagan Stone Classic…2007: Ran in three meets as a freshman…Clocked a 22:25 at the Blue Ridge Open…Finished with a time of 24:51 in the 6K at the Paul Short Run…Ran a 16:48.8 at the Western Carolina Classic. High School: Team captain as a junior and senior…All-conference selection… Took first-place in the Mid-State 3A Regional meet in the 1600-meter run. Major: Leisure and sport management.
Catherine Rossi Junior Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Saratoga Springs
2008: Ran a season-best 19:23 at the Southern Conference Championship… Clocked a 19:35 in her first collegiate meet at the Eye Opener…Second best time of the season was a 19:24 at the Blue Ridge Open…Ran a 23:28 in the 6K at the NCAA Regional Championships. High School: Was named the captain of her cross country and indoor track teams her senior year…Two-time All-Quinnipiac Division cross-country runner…Selected as a scholar-athlete by the Hamden Women’s Sport Federation…Was a member of the Southern Connecticut Conference allacademic team during her junior and senior cross country and indoor track seasons…Ran a personal best of 11:45 in the two mile. Major: Business administration.
Stephanie Giunta 2008: Posted a career-best time of 19:01 at the Southern Conference Championship…Ran in the NCAA Regional Championship…Recorded a time of 19:18 at the Winthrop Invitational…Ran a 19:20 at the Hagan Stone Classic…Also competed in the Eye Opener and the Blue Ridge Open…2007: Posted a season-best time of 19:39 at the Southern Conference Championship… Finished with a time of 19:55 at the Blue Ridge Open…Ran a 25:01 in the 6K at the Paul Short Run…Qualified for the NCAA Regional where she finished with a time of 23:46.1.
Sophomore Bealeton, Va. Liberty (HS)
Katelyn O’Dunne Sophomore Ellicott City, Md. Glenelg Country 2008: Did not compete. High School: Led Glenelg Country to the state championship where she finished third…Team captain for Glenelg’s track team…Notched personal best times of 2:31 in the 800-meter run, 5:41 in the 1,600-meter run, and 19:48 in the 5000-meter run…Named to the high honor roll and earned community service merit honors from 2005-08…Member of the National Honor Society. Major: Religious studies and human services.
2008: Did not compete. High School: Was a 2006 all-state selection in the indoor 1,000-meter run and the outdoor 800-meter run…Set personal bests of 2:23 in the 800-meter run, 3:07 in the 1000-meter run, and 5:15 in the 1500-meter run. Major: Psychology.
Melanie Reyer Sophomore Charlotte, N.C. Country Day 2008 All-Freshman 2008: Posted a season-best time of 18:53 at the Southern Conference Championship to earn all-conference honors… Second-best time came at the Winthrop Invitational, running a 19:20…Finished the NCAA Regional Championship 6K with a time of 25:21.00.
High School: Suburban-council and sectional finalist in cross country in the 3,000-meter run…Saratoga Springs High School team won the national, state and sectional championships. Major: Middle grades education.
High School: Winner of the the 2007 state championship in the 1600-meter run… Named the team MVP…Holds the school record in the mile-run…Helped her team to the 2007 conference championship and a second-place finish at the state championship…Ran personal bests of 2:24 in the 800-meter run, 5:15 in the 1600-meter run and an 18:44 in the 5000-meter run. Catherine Rossi
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Melanie Reyer 2008 All-Conference Runner
Major: International studies. 2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Madison Russo Sophomore Wallingford, Conn. Lyman Hall 2008: Ran a 20:58 at the NC State meet… Also posted a time of 21:08 at the Hagan Stone Classic…Owns the school record in the indoor 10,000-meter run. High School: Served as the captain of Lyman Hall’s indoor and outdoor track teams…Earned all-state honors in the 800-meter run…Named the MVP of her team in both indoor and outdoor track… Was the runner-up in the state championship in the 800-meter run…Holds the school record in the 800-meter run… Named a Record-Journal scholar athlete in outdoor track…Set personal bests in the 5k (21:00), 400-meter (1:02), 800-meter (2:18.9) and 1600-meter (5:25). Major: Business administration.
Justine Schulerud Sophomore North Chatham, N.Y. Ichabod Crane 2008: Ran her best time of 20:05 in her first collegiate race at the Winthrop Invitational…Posted a 20:36 at the Hagan Stone Classic…Ran a 21:41 at the Blue Ridge Open. High School: Named to the first-team all-league and to the first-team Class C at Ichabod Crane…Clocked personal bests of 5:00.6 and 19:13 in the 1,500-meter run and 5,000-meter run. Major: Print and broadcast journalism.
Courtney Whalen Sophomore Rockville, Md. Magruder 2008: Season-best time of 19:49 came at the Southern Conference Championship…Posted a 19:50 at the Hagan Stone Classic…Ran a 20:12 at the Winthrop Invitational. High School: Named a two-time team captain and team MVP at Magruder… Recorded personal best times of 5:17 in the 1,600-meter run, 11:56 in 2009 Phoenix Cross Country
the 3,200-meter run, and 19:35 in the 5,000-meter run…Member of the National Honor Society during all four years of high school. Major: Math and Computer Science.
Jacqueline Alnes Freshman Tulsa, Okla. Union High School: Member of the district and regional championship team…Allstate and all-regional runner…Two-time 3,200-meter run regional champion… Oklahoma state qualifier in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter run…Owns cross country PRs of 11:33 in the two-mile run and 19:05 in the 5K…Ran a PR of 11:28 in the 3,200-meter run. Major: Undecided.
Morgan Denecke Freshman Midlothian, Va. Clover Hill High School: Served as the captain of her high school’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track team during her senior season…Dominion District Indoor 1,600-meter champion…Recorded a PR of 19:33 in the 5,000-meter run, 5:19.74 in the 1,600-meter run, 11:22.12 in the 3,200-meter run and 18:58.43 in the track 5,000-meter run…Two-time Dominion District VHSL Group AAA Academic Award winner in cross country…Named the Most Valuable Runner on her indoor track team as a freshman and junior… Received Scholar Athlete Award in cross country, indoor and outdoor track during all four years at Clover Hill High School… Three-time member of the indoor track VHSL Central Region AAA All-Academic team…Two-time member of the outdoor track VHSL Central Region AAA AllAcademic team…Seven-time Dominion District VHSL Group AAA Academic All-District Award winner in indoor and outdoor track. Major: Exercise science.
Christine Pacewicz Freshman Peoria, Ill. Stevenson High School: Team captain of cross country and track teams…Placed ninth at the conference meet to earn allconference recognition…Two-time MVP in cross country…Named all-conference in the 4x800-meter relay and the 1,600-meter run…Owns a PR of 5:23 in the 1,600-meter run, 2:24 in the 800-meter run, 1:04 in the 400-meter dash and 11:55 in the 3,200-meter run…Track MVP following her senior season. Major: Exercise sport science.
Sullivan Parkes Freshman Winchester, Va. Millbrook High School: Four-year letterwinner in cross country…Three-year letterwinner in indoor and outdoor track…Served as the captain of her cross country, indoor track and outdoor track teams…Helped her cross country team to three straight regular-season district championships… Led her cross country team to the 200708 Regional Championship…Helped her team to a second-place finish at the 2007-08 Northwestern District Championship… Her team finished third at the VHSL AA State meet in consecutive years…Placed fifth as a freshman, sixth as a junior and 13th as a senior at the VHSL AA State meet…Four-time member of the all-district cross country team…Earned all-region and all-state cross country honors as a sophomore, junior and senior…Named the cross country MVP as a sophomore and senior…Earned all-district, all-region and all-state honors in indoor track as a sophomore and junior…Named to the all-district team in outdoor track for three straight years…Named all-region and all-state as a sophomore and junior… Named the outdoor track team’s rookie of the year in 2005-06…Finished fifth in the 3,200-meter run at the 2007-08 VHSL AA State track meet…Helped the 4x800-meter relay team to a third-place finish at the 2006-07 VHSL AA State Track Meet…Owns PRs of 18:31.20 in the 5K, 5:17.65 in the 1,600-meter run, 11:21.60 in the 3,200-meter run and 18:21 in the 5,000-meter run. Major: Exercise sport science.
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Melissa Provost Freshman Hightstown, N.J. Peddie School High School: Helped her team to the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Prep League cross country team championship…2008 Canterbury Cross Country Invitational champion…Earned all-prep and allMAPL honors…Served as the captain of both her cross country and track teams… Received the Weed Honor Trophy and coach’s award in cross country and the coach’s award in track…Owns a PR of 19:20 in the 5K and 11:59 in the 3,200-meter run. Major: Communications.
Emily Tryon Freshman Gulf Breeze, Fla. Gulf Breeze High School: Captained cross country and track teams…All-state honoree in cross country and track…Three-time cross country all-area performer…2008 regional champion in the 3,200-meter run…2008 cross country district champion…Three-time district champion in the 3,200-meter run…2008 and 2009 1,600-meter run district champion…2008 4x800-meter relay district champion… Runner-up in the 3,200-meter run at the 2009 Florida state championship… Finished third in the 3,200-meter run at the Florida state championship in 2008…Owns the Gulf Breeze High School school record in the 5K (18:46) and 3,200-meter run (11:12)…Was named the cross country MVP in 2006, 2007 and 2008…Three-time track MVP…Helped her 4x800-meter relay team to the 2008 district championship and a sixth place finish at the state championship meet… Helped her team to a 2008 district championship in track…Guided her team to back-to-back district championships in cross country. Major: Biology.
Men’s Cross Country
David Wells
Glen Cornell Senior Decatur, Ga. Decatur 2008: Competed in the three meets for the Phoenix…Season-best time was a 29:47 at the Hagan Stone Classic…Also ran at the Blue Ridge Open…Clocked an 18:02 in the 5K at the NC State meet…2007: Ran in Elon’s first two meets…Posted a time of 27:36 at the Wake Forest Relays… Finished with a time of 17:02 at the WCU Classic…2006: Walk-on…Ran to a top time of 30:32.39 at the 2006 George Mason Invitational…Also ran a time of 30:39.50 at the Blue Ridge Open. Major: Exercise sport science.
Andrew Hawkey Senior Durham, N.C. Riverside 2008: Clocked a career-best time of 27:16 at the Winthrop Invitational…Ran a 27:45 at the Blue Ridge Open…Also competed in the Hagan Stone Classic…Posted a 5K time of 16:34 at NC State…2007: Ran in four meets in 2007…Posted a seasonbest 27:46 at the Disney Classic en route to Elon’s fourth-place finish…Finished with a time of 27:56.1 at the Southern Conference Championship…Ran a 28:21 at the Paul Short Run…2006: Strong walk-on for Elon…Posted a seasonbest time of 29:25.98 at the 2006 George Mason Invitational…Tallied a time of 29:26.30 at the Blue Ridge Open. Major: Psychology.
David Wells Senior Bel Air, Md. C. Milton Wright 2008: Finished with a season-best 27:32 at the Blue Ridge Open…Second-best time was 27:57 at the Winthrop Invitational… Ran a 28:25 at the Southern Conference Championship…Also ran in the Eye Opener and Hagan Stone Classic…Ran a 16:42 in the 5K at NC State…2007: Posted a season-best 29:07 at the Blue Ridge Open…2006: Walk-on…Notched seasonbest time of 29:38.50 at the Blue Ridge Open…Also posted a time of 30:14.88 at the 2006 George Mason Invitational. Major: Communications.
Andrew Garrison Junior Aberdeen, N.C. Pinecrest 2008: Ran a season-best 28:01 at the Blue Ridge Open…Turned in a time of 28:03 at the Winthrop Invitational… Posted a 17:13 in the 5K at the NC State meet…Also ran in the Hagan Stone Classic…2007: Competed in five meets as a freshman in 2007…Finished with a season-best 27:39.00 at the Blue Ridge Open…Ran a 27:30.9 at the SoCon Championship…Clocked a 17:05.7 at the WCU Classic (5K). High School: Received the 2006 coach’s award, as well as the 2005 Most Dedicated Runner Award…Member of a squad that was a four-time conference champion (2003-06), and three-time regional champion (2004-06)…Team won the 4A State Championship…Three-time all-conference runner. Major: Economics.
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2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Justin Gianni
Clay Sankey
Junior Cary, N.C. Cardinal Gibbons
Sophomore Charlotte, N.C. Providence Day School
2008: Recorded a season-best time of 26:04 at the Winthrop Invitational… Second-best time of 26:06 came at the Southern Conference Championship… Ran a 26:14 at the Eye Opener…Clocked a 26:31 at both the Hagan Stone Classic and Blue Ridge Open…Finished the NCAA Regional Championship 10K with a time of 33:39…2007: Competed in five meets as a freshman in 2007… Ran a season-best 27:25 at the Blue Ridge Open…Finished the Disney Classic with a time of 27:29.8…Clocked a 27:30.9 at the Southern Conference Championship… Elon’s Mr. Consistency Award Recipient. High School: Helped his team become the 2006 2A State Champion…Placed third in the 2A state meet…Named Most Improved runner for his junior and senior seasons…Served as a team captain. Major: Exercise sport science.
Matt Richardson Junior Crozier, Va. The Collegiate School 2008: Finished 18th at the Winthrop Invitational with a time of 25:41…Also ran the third-best time in school history with a 25:46 at the Southern Conference Championship…Ran a 33:04 in the 10K at the NCAA Regional Championship… Third-best time of 26:05 came at the Blue Ridge Open…Also ran in the Eye Opener and Hagan Stone Classic…2007: Ran a season-best 26:27.7 at the Disney Classic…Finished with a time of 26:39.2 at the SoCon Championships…Elon Hustle Award Recipient. High School: Winner of the 2006 A.L. Jacobs Sportsmanship Award…A fourtime All-Virginia Preparatory League team member…Three-time all-state runner…Twice named to the Richmond Times Dispatch All-Metro Cross Country Team. Major: History.
2008: Recorded a top time of 26:40 at the Winthrop Invitational…Clocked a 27:06 on the Blue Ridge Open…Posted a 27:21 at the Eye Opener.
Matt Richardson
Taylor Zorski Junior Lincroft, N.J. Christian Brothers Acad. 2008: Season-best time of 27:38 came at the Winthrop Invitational…Secondbest time of 28:02 came at the Blue Ridge Open…Also competed at the Eye Opener and Winthrop Invitational…2007: Competed in three meets in 2007… Finished with a season-best 29:31 at the Paul Short Run…Finished with a time of 25:50 at the Blue Ridge Open. High School: Three-time varsity letterwinner in cross country, indoor and outdoor track…Led his team to consecutive dual meet records. Major: Economics and sociology.
Conor O’Brien Sophomore Norfolk, Mass. Xaverian Brothers 2008: Posted a season-best time of 26:56 at the Winthrop Invitational…Secondbest time was 27:17 at the Southern Conference Championship…Ran a 27:22 at the Blue Ridge Open…Competed at the NCAA Regional Championship where he ran a 35:28 in the 10K. High School: Was named an allconference all-star…Served as the team capatin for cross-country, indoor, and outdoor track teams…Owns a time of 9:57 in the two-mile run…Ran a 4:33 in the mile-run…Finished with a personalbest time of 2:01 in the 800-meter run. Major: Undeclared.
2009 Phoenix Cross Country
High School: Earned all-conference honors during all four years of prep career…Led his team to the cross-country championship during his junior and senior seasons…Three-time all-state team member…Served as team captain during his junior and senior years. Major: Communications.
Will Schefer Sophomore Old Brookville, N.Y. North Shore Elon Record Holder 2008: Set the school record with a time of 25:41 at the Winthrop Invitational… Ran a 26:11 at the Eye Opener…Posted a time of 26:28 at both the Hagan Stone Classic and the Southern Conference Championship…Ran a 33:31 in the 10K at the NCAA Regional Championship. High School: Named the team’s MVP during both his junior and senior year…Led the team to the Class B county championship during his junior campaign…Class B individual county champion his senior year…Earned allstate honors following his senior year… 3,200-meter Class B county champion during both his junior and senior years… Served as the team’s captain. Major: Undeclared.
Will Schefer Elon School Record Holder
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Tim Garber Freshman Kennett Square, Pa. Unionville High School: Served as captain of high school track team during his senior season…Named his team’s most valuable junior in 2008 and most valuable senior in 2009…Recorded a PR of 52.0 seconds in the 400-meter dash…Ran a PR of 1:58.36 in the 800-meter run…Ran a 4:40 in the 1,600-meter run…Member of the National Honor Society…Graduated with high honors. Major: Chemistry.
Ranley Gousse Freshman Winter Park, Fla. Trinity Prep High School: Led his cross country team to the 2007 state championship… Helped his team to back-to-back state championships in the 4x800 relay in 2008 and 2009…Member of the 2008 state cross country runner-up team… Member of the cross country all-state team in both 2006 and 2008…Was named to the cross country all-county team in 2005 and 2007…Was named the 2008 Orange County Cross Country Runner of the Year…Was named to the 2008 cross country All-Central Florida team… Four-time cross country MVP…Served as the cross country team captain during his senior year…Named to the 2007 and 2008 All-Central Florida boy’s track second team in the 3,200-meter run… Earned All-Central Florida boys track first-team honors in the 3,200-meter run in 2009…Named the 2008 and 2009 track MVP…Owns PRs of 15:56 in the 5K, 9:41 in the 3,200-meter run, 4:31 in the 1,600-meter run and a 1:57 at the 800-meter run split…Four-year honor roll student…Given the Presidential Award for Community Service in both 2008 and 2009.
Sean Martyn
Lucas Walters
Freshman Ridgewood, N.J. Ridgewood
Freshman Medina, Ohio Medina
High School: Mike Glynn Scholarship recipient…Named to the all-league first team…All-county honorable mention… Member of the Chinese National Honors Society…High honor roll member… Owns PRs of 2:01 in the 800-meter run and 4:35 in the 1,600-meter run. Major: Undeclared.
Connor Mercurio Freshman Providence, R.I. LaSalle Academy
High School: Helped his high school team to the 2007 Nike Team Nationals competition…Member of the 2007 Ohio State Championship team… Served as team captain…All-conference performer…Ran a person-best 16:20 in the 5K…Named a Fox Sports Scholar Athlete…Member of the National Honor Society…National Merit Commended Scholar…Member of the Latin Club… Served as the president of the String Orchestra…Livestrong Community Organizer. Major: Philosophy.
High School: Five-time Rhode Island AllState team member…Three-time LaSalle Academy cross country MVP…Owns PRs of 15:56 in the 5K, 8:40 in the 3K, 4:04 in the 1,500-meter run, 4:24 in the one-mile run and a 9:22 in the two-mile run…Served as the team captain…Also a member of the indoor track and baseball teams, where he served as captain. Major: Undeclared.
Major: Biology.
Clay Sankey
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2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Head Coach Christine Engel Second Year at Elon Clemson 1996 Christine Engel enters her second year as Elon’s head men’s and women’s cross country coach and assistant women’s indoor and outdoor track and field coach. In her first year, Engel coached runners Emily Fournier and Melanie Reyer to All-Southern Conference cross country honors. Fournier earned firstteam accolades and Reyer was included on the all-freshman team. Under Engel’s guidance, the women’s team recorded four Elon top-10 times, including the third-best time in school history. On the men’s side, Engel helped the team to seven of Elon’s top-10 times, including new school records in both the 8K and the 10K. During the indoor track season, Engel saw Elon runners set new school records in the 1,000-meter and 3,000-meter run. She also helped Allyson Costa to allfreshman honors in the 5K. In the outdoor season, Engel guided the distance runners to school records in the 3,000-meter run, 5,000-meter run and the 3,000-meter steeplechase. She also coached Fournier to all-conference honors in both the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 5,000-meter run, Costa to all-freshman honors in the 10K and Madison Russo to all-freshman accolades in the 1,500-meter run. Prior to coming to Elon, Engel spent one year as the assistant cross country
2009 Phoenix Cross Country
and track and field coach at Columbia University where she helped guide three student-athletes to All-Ivy League honors in cross country and two AllNortheast Region accolades. She also coached Carmen Ballard to All-American honors and a 23rd-place NCAA finish in cross country. Her runners obtained five qualifying marks for the 2008 NCAA East Regional Track Championships as well. Prior to her stint at Columbia, Engel spent three years as the assistant men’s and women’s cross country and track and field coach at the University of San Francisco. During her time there, both the men’s and women’s programs turned in the most successful seasons in program history and achieved two runner-up finishes at the West Coast Conference Championships. Nine runners earned first-team all-conference accolades while Engel coached Jeannine Hagedorn to the highest conference and NCAA Regional finish in USF history. Two of her athletes were named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District team. Engel has also coached the Impala Racing Team, one of America’s top allwomen’s club teams, where she helped six athletes qualify for the 2008 Olympic trials in the marathon. She spent three years as the head cross country and indoor and outdoor track coach at West Morris Central High School in Chester, N.J. During her tenure at West Morris, Engel earned Morris Indoor Track Coach of the Year honors following the 2001-02 campaign from the Newark Star Ledger. She also received the 2003 Cross Country Coach of the Year award from the same publication. Engel produced four all-state performers, 34 allconference choices, 11 all-area selections and 17 all-county honorees in her three years at West Morris. A two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection at Clemson University, Engel was a member of the Tigers’ school record-setting 4x800meter relay, distance medley relay and 4x1500-meter relay teams. She competed on Clemson’s ACC champion distance medley relay squad.
Engel fills the Tigers’ record books, ranking in the top-five in the 800-meter run and sixth in the mile and owning the Littlejohn Coliseum record for the 800 meters. Her standout career was recognized with her inclusion on the Clemson University Athletic Wall of Fame. A highly decorated prep star in New Jersey, Engel earned All-American honors at Mount Olive High School. She was named the 1992 Gatorade Athlete of the Year for New Jersey and was a six-time New Jersey Meet of Champions winner in the 1600 meter-run. Following her prep career, Engel was selected as one of New Jersey’s “Track and Field Athletes of the Decade.” Engel earned her bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation and tourism management from Clemson in 1996. She holds a USATF Level One Certification.
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Dr. Leo M. Lambert Elon University President
Since becoming Elon University’s eighth president in January 1999, Leo M. Lambert has advanced an ambitious agenda to establish Elon as a top-ranked liberal arts university and a national model of engaged teaching and learning. Under President Lambert’s leadership, Elon has accomplished broad improvements in academic and student life programs while continuing to develop a campus that consistently ranks among the nation’s most beautiful. The academic climate of the campus has been strengthened through major investments in faculty development, library resources, honors and fellows programs for outstanding students, and Elon’s top-ranked programs in study abroad, undergraduate research,
volunteer service, and leadership education. In 2001 Elon College became Elon University, and the NewCentury@ Elon strategic plan was developed under President Lambert’s leadership. He directed the establishment of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences and both the School of Communications and the School of Education that same year. In 2006, Dr. Lambert led the drive to open the Elon University School of Law in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina. New facilities constructed during President Lambert’s tenure include Carol Grotnes Belk Library, Rhodes Stadium, Belk Track and White Field, the six-building Academic Village, Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center, Ellington Health Center, The Oaks residence hall complex, Colonnades Dining Hall and the Colonnades residence halls, and several new residence halls and a commons building in Danieley Center. The university has expanded to include the 75-acre South Campus. President Lambert has assumed a number of leadership roles regionally and nationally, serving on the national and North Carolina boards of Campus Compact and as a founding board member and president’s council chair of
Project Pericles, a national organization that encourages students to become civically engaged in their communities. As a result, Elon has twice been named one of the nation’s top universities for community service in the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. President Lambert has provided leadership on athletics issues, serving as a member of the NCAA Presidential Task Force on the Future of Division I Athletics and chairing the NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification. In 2008 Dr. Lambert was appointed to the Commission on Effective Leadership by the American Council on Education and also to the North Carolina Higher Education Civic Education Study Commission. In 2009, he was named a director of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), which comprises more than 1,150 public and private colleges and universities of every type and size. Lambert has a bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Geneseo, a master’s in education from the University of Vermont in Burlington, and a doctorate in education from Syracuse University. Prior to coming to Elon, he was provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. President Lambert’s greatest honor in life, in collaboration with his wife Laurie, has been the privilege of parenting two daughters, Callie, a student at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Mollie, a student at Furman University.
Dr. Gerry Francis Elon University Executive Vice President
Dr. Gerald (Gerry) Francis assumed the role of Executive Vice President of Elon University in 2009. Francis received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Appalachian State University, where he was a member of the basketball team. He earned a doctorate in mathematics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech). Francis came to Elon in 1974 as an assistant professor in the department of mathematics. During his tenure, he received the Daniels-Danieley Award as Elon’s most outstanding teacher. In 1983,
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he joined the administrative ranks as dean of academic affairs, and was later named vice president before assuming the role of provost in 1994. During his years at Elon, the institution has doubled in size, increased quality among faculty and students and made substantial facilities improvements. Francis is a native of Arlington, Va., and is married to Burlington native Laine Neese Francis. His daughter Kristen and her husband James McCarthy are both Elon alums and have two children, Jay and Gerry, and reside in Elon. 2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Dave Blank Director of Athletics Fourth Year at Elon Dave Blank begins his fourth year as During the 2006-07 season, Elon the Elon University Director of Athletics notched its first winning record in for the 2009-10 campaign, following men’s soccer at the Division I level and another year of notable improvement for posted SoCon outright regular-season the Phoenix in terms of athletic success, and tournament titles and an NCAA academic progress, marketing and postseason appearance in men’s tennis. fundraising. The Phoenix men’s soccer (2006), During his first three years at Elon, football (2007 and 2008), men’s tennis he ignited ambitious expansions in the (2007, 2008 and 2009) and baseball (2008 Department of Athletics – including a and 2009) teams have all earned national restructuring of the Phoenix Club with rankings during Blank’s time at Elon. emphasis on funding scholarships for Blank became the Elon Director of student-athletes, a restructuring of the Athletics in 2006 after spending six years academic assistance as the Director program for athletics “Our athletic department here at Elon is committed of Athletics at to ensuring that our student-athletes have a quality Drake University. in conjunction with experience — one that affords them opportunities to the Office of the At Drake, he compete for championships while pursuing graduaProvost, and a plan directed an 18-sport tion at one of the best universities in the country.” for future facility Dave Blank NCAA Division I improvements, athletics program including an already that competes completed renovation of the Latham Park in the Missouri Valley Conference. He baseball facility, permanent bleachers was responsible for the creation of a for soccer, a state-of-the-art golf practice comprehensive academic assistance facility, and an in-progress field house at program. During his tenure, Drake the North Athletics Complex. student-athletes consistently posted a In June 2008, Blank was appointed combined grade point average of 3.0 or to serve on the NCAA Division I above. Also, Blank oversaw the addition Championships/Sports Management of the women’s crew, women’s golf and Cabinet – a 31-member cabinet that women’s soccer programs at Drake. will help shape the future of Division I Facility enhancements were a priority, athletics. including upgrades in the softball During the 2008-09 campaign, five complex, renovation of the strength and Phoenix squads earned higher league conditioning facilities and new locker finishes than they had in the previous rooms for several sports. Under Blank’s year. The Phoenix captured regular-season guidance, Drake completed a $17 million Southern Conference titles in both men’s renovation of Drake Stadium, which hosts soccer and baseball with the baseball squad football, soccer, and track and field events advancing to its third NCAA regional as well as the nationally known Drake appearance in the past four seasons. The Relays. men’s tennis team fell just one win shy of a Blank has served as a member of the berth into NCAA play, but saw its first-ever NCAA I-AA Governance and Football individuals earn spots into the post-season Issues Committees. In 2005, he received tournament. Gen. Robert R. Neyland Outstanding In 2007-08, 12 of Elon’s 16 sports Athletics Director accolades from the Allprograms finished higher in the Southern American Football Foundation. Conference than the previous year. Prior to 2000, Blank worked at Coastal The Phoenix baseball team went on to Carolina University where he served as claim SoCon outright regular-season Assistant/Associate Director of Athletics and tournament crowns en route to a for three years (1996-99) and Director of NCAA regional appearance. Also, Elon Athletics for one year (1999-2000). While fell just one victory shy of capturing the at Coastal Carolina, Blank spearheaded SoCon’s automatic NCAA postseason bid efforts to raise more than $4 million in football, men’s basketball and men’s to establish an intercollegiate football tennis. program at the university, which began play in 2003. 2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Elon Athletics Highlights During the Last 3 Years… • Four regular-season SoCon titles
• Three NCAA Tournament appearances • Eight appearances in national rankings • Four SoCon Players of the Year • Four SoCon Freshmen of the Year • Five SoCon Coach of the Year accolades • Numerous enhancements and additions to athletics facilities • Increased giving to the Phoenix Club Before moving into athletics administration, Blank spent eight seasons (1988-1996) as head men’s basketball coach at Lock Haven University. Blank’s teams won 119 games during his tenure, making him the winningest head men’s basketball coach in Lock Haven history. He was named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1996. A native of Frostburg, Md., Blank attended Duke University for two years (1978-1980) before graduating from the University of South Carolina in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Finance). He earned a Master of Science degree in Business Administration from South Carolina in 1986. Blank and his wife, Leslie, are the proud parents of four children – Dexter, Samantha, Dustin and Davis.
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Clay Hassard
Kyle Wills
Sr. Associate Dir. of Athletics Administration • Compliance • Campus Relations
Sr. Associate Dir. of Athletics Business • Operations
Clay Hassard, now in his 25th year on the Elon staff and ninth as senior associate director of athletics, monitors Elon’s compliance with NCAA regulations and works closely with many of the institution’s administrative offices. He is directly responsible for overseeing the Phoenix football, golf and tennis teams as well as supervising the Elon athletic training/sports medicine and strength and conditioning departments. A 1984 Elon graduate, Hassard earned All-SAC and Academic All-America distinction as an offensive lineman. He went on to spend five seasons on the Elon football staff as an assistant coach while earning his MBA, which he received in 1988. He became part of the department’s administrative staff as an assistant director of athletics in 1990, and was promoted to associate director of athletics in 1995 and senior associate director of athletics in 2001. Hassard and his wife, Elizabeth, are the parents of two daughters, Allison and Claire.
Faith Shearer
Brian Tracy
Associate Dir. of Athletics Sr. Woman Administrator
Associate Dir. of Athletics External Affairs
Faith Shearer came to Elon after serving Johns Hopkins University for three years (July 1999-June 2002) as its senior associate director of athletics and recreation and senior woman administrator. She has also worked two years (December 1995-July 1997) as the assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator at North Carolina Central University and two years (July 1997-July 1999) as the assistant director of athletics for internal affairs at Morgan State University. Shearer oversees the Phoenix volleyball, softball, cross country, track and field and women’s basketball programs. She also coordinates academic support and admissions for the department. She is currently serving as the chair of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics as well as the NCAA Women of the Year Selection Committee. She has previously served as a member of the NCAA Olympic Sport Liaison Committee. The 1994 Smith College graduate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Shearer was a four-year member of the Smith volleyball team, captaining her senior year squad. She went on to earn a Master’s of Science in Organizational Development and Human Resources at Johns Hopkins in 2001.
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Kyle Wills was promoted to senior associate director of athletics for business and operations in June 2005, marking another milestone during his 29-year career on the staff. Wills’ main responsibility is overseeing the overall athletic department operational budget. He also works closely with the university’s accounting office. He is the direct supervisor for Elon’s baseball and soccer programs. He also oversees event management and all athletics facilities. Wills’ association with Elon began in the early 1970’s, when his father worked as the school’s first head athletic trainer and assistant director of athletics under Red Wilson. He graduated from Elon in 1981, and was immediately hired as supervisor of athletic facilities at the school. He was promoted to athletics business manager in 1987 and was named assistant director of athletics in 1995. Wills and his wife, Linda, are parents of a daughter, Lindsey, who is a junior at Elon.
Brian Tracy joined Elon in 2005 as the assistant director of the Phoenix Club and was promoted to director of the Phoenix Club in 2007 and associate director of athletics for external affairs in 2009. Tracy has assumed the leadership responsibilities of the department’s external affairs team as a member of the department’s senior staff. He directly supervises Elon’s media relations, marketing, fundraising program, community outreach and ticket operations. Tracy came to Elon from the Southern Conference office, where he served as an external affairs assistant for 2004-05. With the SoCon, Tracy assisted with all external affairs, including championships and special events. He served as the SoCon’s primary media relations contact for the league’s cross country, golf and track and field programs as well as the YES clinics. The Lima, Ohio, native was a three-year letterman and twoyear starter as a center for the University of Dayton football team. Elected his squad’s top lineman, Tracy played for three Pioneer Football League champion teams and earned honorable mention all-conference accolades during his four years in a Flyer uniform. After graduation, he went on to work as Dayton’s tight ends coach as a graduate assistant, where he earned a master’s degree in higher education administration. Tracy and his wife, Meredith, reside in Burlington.
2009 Phoenix Cross Country
With the addition of a new cross country course to Elon’s South Campus, the University continues to show its dedication to athletics. The course, which will serve as the host site for the 2009 Southern Conference Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championship, is completely on campus and features an allgrass surface with rolling hills. The course begins between Elon’s intramural fields and winds through South Campus, giving runners a close-up view of Elon’s scenic campus. The women’s course measures 5,000 kilometers, with the men running a second loop for a measured distance of 8,000 kilometers. In addition to the course, Elon runners will have the opportunity to train at Irwin Belk Track, Elon’s second on-campus facility. The track, built in 2002, also serves as the home to the Phoenix track and field team. Elon student-athletes also have access to a state-of-the art weight room that features eight platforms, free weights area with weights ranging from five to 100 pounds and eight racks that are used for squatting and benching. The cross country teams will participate in Elon’s Iron Works program that instills the characteristics of dedication, sacrifice and toughness. The Iron Works program trains athletes to become better athletes, not power lifters or bodybuilders. There is an emphasis on free weight ground-based/multi-joint movements with the use of periodization and overload principals. The strength and conditioning program works on sport-specific strength. Athletes are to develop total body strength by using free weights to increase power by training explosively. The coaches put the athletes in competitive situations as much as possible to better prepare them for competition day. 2009 Phoenix Cross Country
The sports medicine operation at Elon University is charged with providing quality health care for each of the 16 intercollegiate teams within the Department of Athletics. The sports medicine team strives to establish relationships with each of the over 350 student-athletes to facilitate quality care delivered with a sense of urgency to ensure a timely and safe return to activity. The athletic training facilities at Elon University are staffed by board certified professionals experienced in the delivery of athletic medicine. The sports medicine operation has seven certified and licensed athletic trainers supervised by Eric Storsved, the Director of Athletic Training Services. Together this team provides comprehensive care in the prevention, recognition, evaluation and immediate care of athletic injuries or illnesses sustained by the student-athletes as well as rehabilitation and reconditioning of any illness or injury. Elon student-athletes have access to a wide range of medical facilities provided at Kernodle Clinic, chiropractic care provided by Wells Chiropractic, emergency dental care as well as diagnostic and surgical care at Alamance Regional Medical Center.
Elon will host the 2009 Southern Conference Championships on Oct. 31.
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Women’s 5,000 Meters Top-10 Times
Time
17:59.47 18:03.15 18:11.00 18:11.00 18:28.00 18:29.00 18:30.00 18:32.00 18:40.18 18:44.00
Name
Caitlin Beeler Anna Mae Flynn Emily Fournier Caitlin Beeler Emily Fournier Emily Fournier Anna Mae Flynn Emily Fournier Alana Black Anna Mae Flynn
Meet
Date
SoCon Championship 10/28/06 SoCon Championship 10/28/06 SoCon Championship 11/01/06 Disney Classic 10/07/07 Blue Ridge Open 10/17/08 Hagan Stone Classic 10/04/08 Gamecock Invitational 09/01/06 Winthop Invitational 09/20/08 SoCon Championship 10/30/05 SoCon Championship 10/27/07
Women’s Individual First Place Finishes Name
Emily Fournier Anna Mae Flynn Anna Mae Flynn Alana Black Meg Crawford Julie Vance Meg Crawford
Meet
Hagan Stone Classic Old North State Championship Gamecock Invitational Southeastern Collegiate Invite Winthrop Invitational High Point Invitational SAC Championship
Date
10/04/08 09/23/06 09/01/06 09/16/06 09/21/96 09/12/95 10/26/93
Team First-Place Finishes Meet
Hagan Stone Classic South Atlantic Conference Championship North Carolina Collegiate Championship Elon/High Point Invitational South Atlantic Conference Championship South Atlantic Conference Championship
Did you know…
Date
10/04/08 10/26/96 10/19/96 09/07/96 10/29/94 10/30/93
Men’s 8,000 Meters Top-10 Times
Time
25:41.00 25:41.00 25:46.00 25:47.00 25:47.13 25:50.00 25:57.00 26:02.00 26:03.00 26:04.00
Name
Will Schefer Matt Richardson Matt Richardson Kent Morris John Tumbleston Rick Myers Eric Lewandowski Eric Lewandowski Rick Myers Eric Lewandowski
Meet
Date
Winthrop Invitational 09/20/08 Winthrop Invitational 09/20/08 SoCon Championship 11/01/08 Disney Classic 10/07/00 McAlister Deli Invitational 09/24/05 Blue Ridge Open 10/17/08 Winthrop Invitational 09/20/08 Paul Short Run 09/28/07 Hagan Stone Classic 10/04/08 Blue Ridge Open 10/17/08
Men’s Individual First Place Finishes Name
John Tumbleston Josh Cotter Brian Keller
Meet
Meet
Southeastern Collegiate Invite N.C. Collegiate Championship SAC Championship
Team First-Place Finishes
Hagan Stone Classic Gamecock Invitational South Atlantic Conference Championship N.C. Collegiate Championship Elon/High Point Invitational South Atlantic Conference Championship South Atlantic Conference Championship
Date
09/16/05 10/14/95 10/29/94
Date
10/04/08 09/01/06 10/26/96 10/19/98 09/07/96 10/29/94 10/30/93
Note: BOLD denotes current Elon student-athletes
Elon women’s cross country runners broke five school records during the 2008-09 indoor and outdoor track season?
Rick Myers helped lead the Phoenix to the Hagan Stone Classic Championship with his time of 25:50.00. It was also the sixthbest time in Elon history.
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2009 Phoenix Cross Country
2007 2007 2007 2007 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008
SoCon Honors All-Conference 2005 2006 2007 2008
Alana Black Caitlin Beeler Caitlin Beeler Emily Fournier
All-Freshman 2008
Melanie Reyer
Big South All-Academic
Freshman of the Year 2005 2006
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Anna Mae Flynn Caitlin Beeler
South Atlantic Honors SAC Championship
1993 1994 1994 1994 1995 1995 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996
Malissa Butkovich Second Team Julie Vance First Team Tricia Norris First Team Suzanne Czarnetzky Second Team Meg Crawford First Team Suzanne Czarnetzky First Team Meg Crawford First Team Meghan Fitzgerald First Team Suzanne Czarnetzky Second Team Laura Faulk Second Team Lydia Gould Second Team Kari Spiker Second Team
Runner of the Year 1996
Meg Crawford
Freshman of the Year 1994 1996
Julie Vance Meghan Fitzgerald
Anna Mae Flynn was named the 2005 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year.
2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Kari Spiker Kari Spiker Amanda Easoz Erin Wallace Erin Wallace
U.S.C.C.A All-Academic Team
1996
All-Conference
Jessica Doan Katelyn Ealer Colleen McCarthy Katie White Katy Burns Jessica Doan Meaghan Collins Emily Fournier Lauren Fredrickson Colleen McCarthy Catherin Rossi
Caitlin Beeler is a two-time All-Southern Conference runner and was the 2006 SoCon Freshman of the Year.
Coach of the Year 1996
Bill Morningstar
Academic Honors
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Academic All-American 2007-08 Katelyn Ealer
Third Team
SoCon All-Academic 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007
Alana Black Lillian Ciany Becca Dougherty Clara Urquhart Alana Black Caroline Corbyons Casey Pike Amy Sulser Meghan Atkinson Alana Black Alana Black Kari Burger Kelly Chencharik Katelyn Ealer Grace Ilevbare Tara Mulcahy Casey Pike Sarah Robinson Amy Sulser Becky Weaver Meghan Atkinson Jessica Doan Katie White Amy Sulser Alana Morro Katelyn Ealer Colleen McCarthy Kelly Chencharik Meghan Atkinson Caitlin Beeler Kelly Chencharik
Katelyn Ealer was named to the 2007-08 Academic All-American team.
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Big South Honors Freshman of the Year 2001
Brett Willi
Scholar-Athlete of the Year 2002
Jack Rookstool
South Atlantic Honors SAC Championship 1993 1994 1996
Runner of the Year 1994
Freshman of the Year 1994
Chris Barnhart Andy Hughes Brian Keller Scott Breslin Michael Rodgers Chad Bebout Eric Hines Brian Keller Scott Breslin Pete Ormsby Eric Hines Brian Keller Wyn Payton Michael Cody Brian Keller Josh Cotter Eric Hines Kiernan Kelly Carl Robbins
First Team First Team First Team Second Team Second Team First Team First Team First Team Second Team Second Team First Team First Team First Team Second Team First Team Second Team Second Team Second Team Second Team
Eric Hines
Scholar-Athlete of the Year 1993
Andy Hughes
Coach of the Year 1993 1994 1995
Bill Morningstar Bill Morningstar Bill Morningstar
Academic Honors
All-Conference 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1995 1995 1995 1995 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996
Brian Keller
All-Academic 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 2004 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2005 2006 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2007 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008
Adam Clontz Justin Herman Jack Rookstool Stephen Sypole Jeff Trauring John Tumbleston David Weaver Brett Willi Adam Clontz John Tumbleston Malcolm White Brett Willi Adam Clontz Jamey Falkenbury Justin Garren Eric Garren Adam Lindsey Matt McGuire Daniel Quinn John Tumbleston Malcolm White Brett Willi Eric Garren Justin Garren Eric Lewandowski Eric Garren Justin Garren Andrew Hawkey Eric Lewandowski Andrew Garrison Justin Gianni Andrew Hawkey Eric Lewandowski Matt Richardson David Wells
John Tumbleston was a two-time Academic All-American, a two-time academic alldistrict team member and a three-time Socon all-academic team member.
Big South All-Academic 2000 2001 2002
Kent Morris Jeff Trauring Jack Rookstool
U.S.C.C.A All-Academic Team 2000 2001 2002 2004
Academic All-District 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07
John Tumbleston John Tumbleston John Tumbleston Eric Garren
First Team First Team First Team First Team
Academic All-America 2004-06 John Tumbleston 2005-06 John Tumbleston 2007-08 Eric Garren
First Team First Team Third Team
Former Phoenix Eric Lewandowski earned all-academic honors for three consecutive seasons.
20
2009 Phoenix Cross Country
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Sept. 12
Elon Invitational
Sept. 19
Winthrop Invitational
Rock Hill, S.C.
Oct.
3
Louisville Classic
Louisville, Ky.
Oct. 16
Blue Ridge Open
Boone, N.C.
Oct. 31
Southern Conference Championship Elon, N.C.
Nov. 14
NCAA Regional
BOLD denotes home meets
Elon, N.C.
Louisville, Ky.