2006 PAC Women's Cross Country Preview

The 2005 PAC Women's Cross Country Championship will see Grove City attempt to capture its 18th consecutive conference championship. 2005 individual champion Elisa Pederson of Grove City has graduated, leaving an open race for the 2006 title. Waynesburg hosts the 2006 PAC Championship meet October 28 and the NCAA Mid-East Regional Championship November 11. Saint Vincent will join the PAC and add to the league's competitiveness.
 

BETHANY COLLEGE
The Mark Swiger era begins at Bethany in 2006. Swiger, a 1982 graduate of Bethany, takes the helm and inherits a team with four novice runners in his first season. The Bison will be without two time All-PAC runner Mallory Roadman to graduation sophomore. Leading Bethany this season will be junior Chantal Stettinius. Stettinius and sophomore Laura Straussguetl ran in the third and fourth spots in 2005 and will look to improve on their times this season. The Bison open the season Saturday September 2, at the Fisher Invitational at Westminster College.

 
GROVE CITY COLLEGE
Grove City looks to run for its 18th consecutive championship behind sophomores Kristen Carter and Julia Seward. Carter was last years individual runner up and will try to lead the Wolverines by taking home the individual crown in 2006. Seward finished fourth over all at the PAC meet last year followed by senior Cara Pierce, who returns for her final season after finishing fifth last year at the PAC Championship. The Wolverines being the 2006 season at Case Western Saturday, September 2.

THOMAS MORE
Thomas More will feature just one women's runner - Kila Hanrahan - in 2006.

WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON
Washington & Jefferson finished third in 2005 and was led by Erin Long. Long will look to build on a strong freshman season from a year ago, where she finished third at the PAC Championship and 31st at the NCAA Mid-East Regional meet. Head coach Mark FitzPatrick has a young roster, with no seniors the Presidents will gain valuable experience in 2006. The Presidents will open their 2006 season September 2, at the Case Western Invitational.

WAYNESBURG
The Yellow Jackets were runners up in 2005 and took 16th at the NCAA Mid-East Regional. Leading the way for the Yellow Jackets this year are sophomore Megan Grover and junior Michelle Propst. Grover and Propst finished sixth and seventh respectively at the PAC Championship and both finished in the top 50 at the regional meet. The Yellow Jackets will hope to compete well in both meets again this season as they host both the PAC Championship meet October 28 and the Mid-East Regional November 11. Waynesburg will open the 2006 season at Salisbury, Saturday September 2.

WESTMINSTER
Westminster will be led in 2006 by senior Amy Carroll. Carroll was the top finisher for the Titans last year the the PAC Championship. The Titans will look to improve from their sixth place finish in 2005, with a young roster, having four freshman and four sophomores for the 2006 season. Westminster will start the 2006 season at home hosting the Fisher Invitational Saturday, September 2.

SAINT VINCENT
Saint Vincent is running in its first season in the PAC. The Bearcats, will lose a national qualifier in Sarah Johnson but senior Kara Shirley and junior Laura Magnuson will look to step up and fill Johnson's place. The Bearcats, under coach Tom Harbert, ran to a third place finish at the American Mideast Conference meet in 2005. They will look to make an immediate impact in PAC competition in 2006. The Bearcats start the season Saturday, September 2, at the Fisher Invitational at Westminster College.