CROSS COUNTRY | Title Defense Begins With Good Finishes

Starting right where they left off last year, Georgetown’s cross country teams opened their seasons in impressive fashion, with the women winning and the men finishing in second in two Saturday meets.

The No. 3 women’s team, trying to defend last season’s national championship despite the graduation of All-American Emily Infeld (MSB ’12), took first place at the Dartmouth Cross Country Invitational in Hanover, N.H.

Georgetown scored 33 points, easily outdistancing second-place Dartmouth — which finished with 57 — and Big East rival Syracuse, which ended with 67. Other top-flight programs who competed in the event finished behind the Orange.

The handy win for the new-look Hoyas was led by two All-Americans, senior Rachel Schneider and junior Madeline Chambers, who finished third and fifth, respectively, with times of 21:32 and 21:35 in the 5950-meter course.

Sophomore Annamarie Maag finished right on Chambers’ heals in sixth place with a time of 21:35. Seniors Emily Jones and Kirsten Kasper rounded out the top 10 with times of 21:47 and 21:54.

The sixth and seventh runners for the Blue and Gray also had impressive showings, as sophomore Hannah Neczypor came in 13th place and junior Jenna Davidner placed 17th.

Returning to the Hilltop after Saturday’s event, the Hoyas met their new coach, former Georgetown runner Mike Smith (COL ’03), who was publicly named to the position Monday.

The No. 14 men’s team had a strong showing as well, finishing second of nine teams in the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational in State College, Pa.

No. 21 Princeton soundly beat Georgetown, however, earning 25 points compared to the Hoyas’ 57. Penn State was came in third with 78 points.

Sophomore Ben Furcht placed sixth overall in the meet with a time of 26:25 on the 5.2-mile course. Running as a pack, the Hoyas finished in quick succession. Senior Andrew Springer and All-American graduate student Mark Dennin, two Hoyas whom Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Patrick Henner raved about in the preseason, finished behind Furcht in seventh and 10th, respectively.

Junior Max Darrah, meanwhile, finished right behind Dennin in 11th place. Rounding out the lineup, sophomore Austin Gregor ended in 24th at 26:47, picking up 23 points in the team competition for the Blue and Gray.

Both the men’s and women’s teams showcased the depth that gives them a fighting chance at the Big East championship. The Blue and Gray will now have two weekends away from competition to adjust to Smith before both teams return to action in the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pa., on Sept. 28.