Samuel Barber
MSMU Class of 2022
(4/2021) When it comes to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it may be difficult to find an upside moment; however, through all the crazy twists and turns, there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Although scores of athletes across the wide variety of sports that Mount St. Mary's offers have been affected by the postponements and cancelations, no team has had to overcome more challenges than the women's cross-country team.
Traditionally, the cross-country season takes place during the fall season. However, due to COVID-19, the Northeast Conference (NEC) moved fall sports to the spring season. The Mount traveled to Massachusetts for the 2021 NEC Cross-Country Championships on February 28, and it did not disappoint. The Mountaineers led by sophomore Theresa Long had three all-conference selections, as the team scored 64 points to finish runner-ups to Central Connecticut State's 33 points. Long, who finished third overall in an 18:00, set the tempo for the Mount from the beginning while snagging the first position on multiple occasions throughout the five-kilometer race. The Virginia native has become a rising star within the conference, as she improved her positing by 22 spots from a year ago.
Senior Alexandra Kay brought a sentimental moment to the championships, as the event served as a homecoming for the Massachusetts native. A ninth-place finish, in 18:33, marked the best finish. Kay played a crucial role in the team's success during the race, as she served as a displacement runner to a plethora of runners from third-place Sacred Heart. Although the first and second runners play a pivotal role in determining a team's placing, the displacement runners, which are athletes that disrupt other teams, are vital.
Fellow senior Adria Pirozzi ultimately proved to be the most improved performer out of the entire team. Pirozzi made a monumental jump by 41 places, as she went from a middle to near back of the pack runner, to becoming one of the must-see athletes in the conference. Head coach Christopher FitzSimons, who is in his fourth season at the helm of the Mount’s men’s and women’s cross-country program had plenty to say when interviewed about his athlete’s stellar performances. FitzSimons was particularly excited about the top-three, "all three had lifetime performances that weekend at NEC’s. It’s hopefully the start to a successful spring season. I’m a big believer that running is running, we will keep the ball rolling".
Rounding out the top-five for the Mountaineers were senior Destiny Boone and freshman Mary Campbell. The former continued the theme of the team being a senior-laden one, as she narrowly missed being an all-conference selection by five spots. The time differential between 14th and Boone’s 19th place finish was a mere 10 seconds. A senior out of Chesapeake, VA improved dramatically by 49 seconds compared to her outing at the 2019 championships. Campbell became the fifth freshman to cross the line and the first for Mount St. Mary’s. Making her championship debut for the team, she was able to put together an upstanding 22nd place finish in a 19:07.
Despite virtually all of the teams in the 32 NCAA Division-I conferences having no fall cross-country season, that did not mean that the work and preparation stopped. FitzSimons and newly hired assistant coach Catie Jaskowak implemented a virtual fall cross-country season which was in conjunction with the NEC. During this modified season, the athletes competed in intrasquad races ranging from a half-mile to six-kilometers while the virtual championship event was a five-kilometer race. According to the coaches, this virtual season played a vital role in overall preparation. "Our administration was amazing with allowing us to pay a time to set up some real race scenarios. It's a different atmosphere when there is FAT (Fully Automatic Time) rather than the coaches holding a stopwatch".
Historically, successful teams are measured in the amount of championship hardware they bring back to their respective program, and rightfully so. However, there is an intangible prize that some of the greatest teams foster: perseverance. This success was not a mere overnight experiment. No, it took years of hard work through many ups and downs. "This performance has been a long time coming. Five years ago, we did not have enough women to field the team at the beginning of the season. This group was one of my first classes that I brought in it was a slow process but it was great to see it all come together in one weekend." There is a lot to be said about the overall improvement of this team, as the real test will be maintaining this newfound success.
On paper, cross-country, indoor, and outdoor track & field are commonly looked at as being three separate sports. That is not the case for distance runners, as each season serves as a catalyst and a steppingstone for the following season. Since there was no indoor season in the conference this year, the cross-country season has given the women a huge kickstart to have an incredible outdoor track season. Long is one of the most versatile players on the team, as she will have the range from the 1500-meter run to the 5k. Kay has become the true distance outlet for the team while she will be a sole 10k runner. FitzSimons and Jaskowak are thrilled to see the jumps the various athletes are expected to make. "That day a lot of these ladies performed in ways that we as a coaching staff knew was possible, but it was yet to be seen. Then seeing it for themselves I feel will give them confidence going into this outdoor season".
As mentioned before, this is a senior-laden team and the longevity will be determined by how they can overcome replacing two of their top-five runners. The Mount will lose Boone and Pirozzi to graduation, which replacing an all-conference selection and a near all-conference selection will be a tall task. However, Kay will be returning for a sixth season in Emmitsburg, which is an immense move. The coaching staff remains optimistic that the team can take the next step to winning a conference title. FitzSimons was quite blunt about his expectations for next year. "I think winning is always the goal, but obviously in reality I think we can show up to the conference meet with a chance of winning every time we toe the line, that is when the program has changed forever. We have steadily improved from tenth to second over the last five seasons. Now we look to stabilize at the top with always having a shot to win on that day".
Central Connecticut junior Ashley Dana narrowly edged out her teammate, Angelina Rafter, by a tenth of a second for the individual title. With the win, Dana punched her ticket to the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Stillwater, OK.
For Mount St. Mary’s, the team will begin the transition to the outdoor track season. Their first meet in the month of April will be in Fairfax, VA for the George Mason Spring Invitational, which is hosted by George Mason University.
Read past articles related to Mount sports
