Allegheny Classic 9/27/2008

Men's race.....


Women's race....

Women's 3k Time Trial 9/19/2008

Here are results from our 3k Time Trial on the track, Symoniak went out in 5:25 for her first 1500 meters. All 13 women improved on there times from the first Time trial.
1. Symoniak 10:34
2. Stancik 10:54
3. Hutchinson 10:59
4. LeMasters 11:09
5. Pugh 11:25
6. Dilley 11.25
7. Wetzel 11:37
8. Simonton 11:43
9. Dyer 11:44
10. Powers 11:50
11.Ginty 11:51
12.Patterson 12:11
13.David 12:18

Men's 3k Time Trial 9/19/2008

These are the results from our second 3k Time Trial on the track for the Cross Country season. 17 out of 19 improved times from the first time trial....
1. DiPre 8:34
2. Ross 8:36
3. Hoy 8:43
4. Marker 8:53
5. McLaughlin 8:56
6. Parker 8:57
7. Brush 9:01
8. Smith 9:04
9. Zimmerman 9:06
10.Eyer, B 9:07
11.Sullivan 9:14
12.Mahone 9:16
13.Conant 9:23
14.Drab 9:25
15.Faix 9:31
16.Hessel 9:47
17.O'Neil 10:01
18.Eyer G. 10:01
19.Cottington 10:04

Allegheny alums featured in major Pittsburgh papers

This past weekend at the Great Race in Pittsburgh Allegheny Alumni ran very well. Check out the stories here.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08273/915945-53.stm

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_590615.html

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_590619.html

Full results here

Zac Ross earns NCAC weekly honor

Allegheny sophomore Zac Ross (Meadville, PA/Meadville Area) has been named the North Coast Athletic Conference men's cross country athlete of the week for his performance at the Allegheny Classic.

Ross won the Allegheny Classic, defeating of field of 36 runners with a time of 26:20 over eight kilometers to lead the Gators to a first-place finish out of three teams.

In three races this season, Ross has helped Allegheny to two first-place team finishes and a second-place finish while managing two second-place finishes as an individual in addition to claiming the top spot this week.

The Gators are in action next on Oct. 4 at Pre-Nationals, hosted by Hanover.

Allegheny is currently ranked 17th nationally by the United States Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association.

Mia Symoniak on Academics

HS PRS
3k: 10:29
1500: 4:59

College PRS
10k: 38:14
5k: 18:26
3k: 10:34

Year 2010
Major Psychology, Minor Creative Writing
High School Amherst Central
Hometown Buffalo, NY


What other Colleges were you looking at?
SUNY Geneseo, American University, Dickinson

Why did you decide on Allegheny?
Allegheny has a really good neuroscience and psychology program. I also really liked the campus and the size of the school.

How did you go about choosing your major?
I’ve always been interested in psychology. I actually came in as a neuroscience major but found that all of my favorite courses were ones in the psychology major so I decided to switch over.

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Allegheny?
I’d like to go to graduate school for child psychology.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school?
Being on the team really helps me stay focused. I know that everything I do is a reflection of the team. My GPA factors into the team GPA just like my races factor into our team scores. Also, a lot of my classes have somebody else from the team in them so if I’m not in class that day then I’ve got somebody asking where I was that afternoon in practice.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)?
Allegheny offers a lot of unique opportunities that many other undergraduate programs do not offer. This summer I participated in graduate level research with one of my professors. We’re planning on bringing our research to a national conference in Chicago in the beginning of March and I just started outlining a paper which we are planning on submitting to a well respected national journal. I’m also tutoring at-risk children in the Meadville community through Allegheny’s ACCEL program. None of the other colleges that I looked at offer the types of opportunities that Allegheny does.

Mike Faix on Academics

HS PR’s:
5k- 17:32
3200- 10:52
1600- 4:57

College PR’s:
10k- 34:11
8kxc- 28:27
5k-16:40
3k- 9:27

Year: Jr.
Major: Physics
Minor: Music Performance
High School: McKeesport H.S.
Hometown: White Oak, Pa

What other Colleges were you looking at? When deciding schools, I had three others in mind, Duquesne Univ., Pitt- Main, and Bucknell Univ. I was searching mostly based on academics, amongst other things of course, but eventually narrowed it down to Pitt and Allegheny. They are night and day by all means, but both have great science programs so they definitely caught my eye.

Why did you decide on Allegheny? When it came down to it, I knew that Allegheny would allow me to be as diverse in my extracurricular activities as well as my education that I definitely wanted to be. I was very involved during HS in a wide range of activities and very much wanted to continue those interests. Allegheny allowed for so much more of a personalized education that would fit my wants and needs and allow me to shape my education in and out of the classroom.

How did you go about choosing your major? I pretty much already knew that I wanted to go into physics because of my experience in HS and where my interests were. Many people come here without a clue as to what they want to major in, and in all honesty, a small liberal arts school can be the best place for those students. It grants a lot of freedoms with exploring different fields in addition to talking to advisors and other faculty who sincerely want to help.

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Allegheny? Most likely, I will attend grad school. There are many options with what direction to go with a physics degree and I’m currently considering numerous fields.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school? Just being on a track and cross country team is great, but being on a successful team takes the experience to a whole different level. The level of expectation and standards is considerably higher, which very much carries into the academic world. Sure, being part of a varsity team can be quite a commitment, but when push comes to shove, being part of this team helps build that drive necessary for success across the board.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)? I’ve found unique opportunities in just about every organization I’m a part of. I’ve done mission trips and community service through religious life groups, intercollegiate symphonies and other ensembles through the music department, leadership conferences and job fairs through ACCEL, spring break trips with the track team. The bottom line is that there is opportunity surrounding us, and it is there for the taking. Getting involved beyond the classroom is all a part of the education experience, and it’s up to each one of us to seek out and pursue those opportunities.

Greg Eyer on Academics

HS PR’s:

400- 53.7

800- 1:59.3

1600- 4:52.2

3200- 11:15

5000(XC)- 18:40

College PR’s:

N/A

Year: Freshman (Class of 2012)

Major: Chemistry

High School: Manheim Central

Hometown: Lititz, PA

What other Colleges were you looking at?

Elizabethtown College, Juniata College, DeSales University, St. Vincent College

Why did you decide on Allegheny?

The superior academics and athletics than my other choices. The campus was beautiful when I visited, and the teachers seemed genuinely interested in their student's education. Even though it was a bit farther from home than I would have liked, I thought I could best accomplish my academic and running goals at Allegheny.

How did you go about choosing your major?

I have always enjoyed problem solving, especially in science and math venues. The summer before heading to college, I attended an ASM Materials Science Camp in Cleveland, and there was a professor from Case Western there who did a talk on Polymers, which piqued my interest in Chemical Engineering.

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Allegheny?

After graduating, I plan on attending graduate school for some type of engineering. Today that type is chemical engineering, although I also find Electrical Engineering fascinating.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school?

Because of the practice time required, I have had to learn how to budget my time effectively. The team is a great help if you have any questions about professors or classes, which is an valuable resource. It is also nice that when classes start you already have a group of friends and are fully settled I before any non-athlete students arrive.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)?

None so far, but I have heard good things. I am currently employed as a Prep TA in the Chemistry Department, so that is exciting.

Aly Luvison on Academics

HS PR’s: XC 5K=20:06 Track 1600=5:44
College PR’s: 5K=19:51


Year: Senior
Major: Biology
High School: Eisenhower MSHS
Hometown: Sugar Grove, PA

What other Colleges were you looking at?
The only other school I was looking at other than Allegheny was SUNY Geneseo.

Why did you decide on Allegheny?
I decided on Allegheny because I really liked the personal dynamic that I felt when I came to visit. On both of my visits to Allegheny everyone was extremely friendly and very personable. At Geneseo I was not talked to by anyone. On my visits here I got to talk to Coach a couple times, many students and the advisor of the Pre-Health committee. They were all extremely helpful in explaining to me what all Allegheny had to offer and what they could do for me. Being from a really small town, Meadville made Allegheny feel more like home as well. I am more comfortable than I would be in a bigger city.

How did you go about choosing your major?
I want to be a veterinarian and I love the sciences so it is only natural to have biology as my major. I considered biochem, but chemistry is my most difficult subject and I decided that it may be a bad idea to take more than I have to. Looking back however, I have found neuroscience very interesting and wish that I would have taken more neuro courses. Neuroscience would also still allow me to fulfill my pre-health requirements.

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Allegheny?
After graduating from Allegheny I plan on taking a year off to gain more clinical experience with several veterinarians. I then plan on applying to vet school. The two schools that I am really hoping to get into are Colorado State and Cornell. Hopefully I’ll get into one of the two of those. Once in vet school I am hoping to specialize in large animal medicine, particularly equine.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school?
Being on this team has taught me responsibility, leadership and time management. I have had to balance my school work while attending practices and going away on weekends to compete. I think that it has really made me stay focused. I have also been very successful due to my hard work on this team and it feels really good to have your hard work and efforts pay off.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)?
When you apply to an internship and the people interviewing you see that you are at Allegheny on your resume it says something…Allegheny has a great reputation and it will really help you out. You get a certain amount of respect right off the bat. Allegheny also prepares you in ways that you might not recognize at first. I have been complemented on my speaking abilities at my veterinary internship. I learned much of my public speaking skills through Allegheny. You also become more independent and confident. I have spent the past two summers in Rochester at the Genesee Valley Equine Clinic as a veterinary assistant. I have been given many responsibilities at my job and have learned so much that will make entry into vet school much easier.

Angie Dyer on Academics

NAME: Angie Dyer

HS PR’s:

200-28

400-65

800-2:32

5k- 22:05

College PR’s:

400-64

800-2:32

mile-5:55

1000-3:25

3k- 12:09

5kxc- 21:37

6kxc- 26:13

Year: Sophomore

Major: Environmental Science/ Pre-Med
Minor: Religious Studies

High School: Elizabeth Forward High School

Hometown: McKeesport, PA

What other Colleges were you looking at?

Ohio Wesleyan University, Case Western Reserve University, Washington & Jefferson College

Why did you decide on Allegheny?

What I liked about Allegheny was the campus setup and the friendly people.

How did you go about choosing your major?

I have always been interested in conservation and the different environmental issues, so what better major than environmental science. In environmental science we get to learn about all the oppressing issues that are at hand ranging from local environmental issues to more global ones, such as virtual water.

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Allegheny?

As of right now, after Allegheny I plan on going to med-school to get a degree pathology.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school?

Since being in track and cross country involves a lot of time it has helped me with my time management and placed me into a daily routine, which makes it easier to schedule time to do things.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)?

Right now in my environmental science FS we are collaborating with three other classes on a group research project. Working with a Geology class, Communication Arts class, and Political Science class we will come up with a research project pertaining to water and eventually present our findings at the end of the semester.

Matt Smith on Academics

HS PRS

Mile – 4:45

3200 - 10:18

Steeplechase – 10:17

5k (Cross County) – 17:25

College PRS

Mile - 4:33

3k - 8:57

Steeplechase 9:28.46

5k (Track) – 15:40

8k (Cross Country) 27:10

Year - Senior

Major- Environmental Science Minor - Political Science

High School – Sayville High School

Hometown- Sayville, New York

What other Colleges were you looking at? University of New Hampshire, SUNY Oneonta

Why did you decide on Allegheny?

I didn’t learn about Allegheny until late in the application process, well after I had applied to my other schools. I applied with very little expectation of ever enrolling in the college. I slowly learned more about the school and the more information I got about the more I liked it. Everything seemed to fit together perfectly. It had a nationally recognized environmental science program, a well respected track and cross country program that I could contribute to after a couple years of hard work. When I came to visit the campus I knew almost immediately that it was my ideal school, I felt comfortable right away.

How did you go about choosing your major?

I was always intrested in the environment. I remember back in elementary when we had to do a small project on what we wanted to be when we grew up I had not idea what my specific occupation would be but knew I wanted to protect natural places. What I settled on for that project was to be a conservationist but more importantly it helped set the course to major in environmental science. Today I see myself in a similar boat as I was in elementary school; still not knowing what my exact occupation will be but with the skills and talents developed at Allegheny I know I am in position to find a career that I will find both rewarding and enjoyable, whether it is at an environmental non-profit, with the government, at a private corporation or something completely else.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school?

As cliché as it may be, being on a successful team like we have here at Allegheny forced me to really decide what is important and make those things a priority. Knowing that there are only so many hours in the day and you have to fit class, running, studying along with getting a decent amount of sleep, you have to cut out many of the things that other college students feel are necesities in life. In retrospect the choices I made to be fully committed to running and school made the entire college experience more fulfilling.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)?

The greatest opprotunity I have discovered by attending Allegheny is the relationship current students have with alumni. When I was working on my senior comprehensive project I was able to complete a case study about an environmental interest group because a recent alumni has kept contact with the college and was willing to share his experiences with me. This insight allowed my project more than just something that was researched out of books and articles, but something that was more substanial.

9/19/2008 3k Time Trial

These are the results from our second 3k Time Trial on the track for the Cross Country season. 17 out of 19 improved times from the first time trial.... Video to come soon......
1. DiPre 8:34
2. Ross 8:36
3. Hoy 8:43
4. Marker 8:53
5. McLaughlin 8:56
6. Parker 8:57
7. Brush 9:01
8. Smith 9:04
9. Zimmerman 9:06
10.Eyer, B 9:07
11.Sullivan 9:14
12.Mahone 9:16
13.Conant 9:23
14.Drab 9:25
15.Faix 9:31
16.Hessel 9:47
17.O'Neil 10:01
18.Eyer G. 10:01
19.Cottington 10:04

Women's 9/19/2008 3k Time Trial

Here are results from our 3k Time Trial on the track, Symoniak went out in 5:25 for her first 1500 meters. All 13 women improved on there times from the first Time trial. Video to come soon.....
1. Symoniak 10:34
2. Stancik 10:54
3. Hutchinson 10:59
4. LeMasters 11:09
5. Pugh 11:25
6. Dilley 11.25
7. Wetzel 11:37
8. Simonton 11:43
9. Dyer 11:44
10. Powers 11:50
11.Ginty 11:51
12.Patterson 12:11
13.David 12:18

9/25/2008 Women's Regional Rankings

Mideast Women
1. Johns Hopkins
2. Messiah
3. Dickinson
4. Haverford
5. Allegheny
6. Grove City
7. Gettysburg
8. Swarthmore
9. Susquehanna
10.Ursinus

9/25/2008 Men's National Rankings

XC Rankings - Week 2

Rank/Institution

1. Cortland State - (8)

2. Calvin

3. Wisconsin-La Crosse

4. Wisconsin-Stevens Point

5. Carnegie Mellon

6. Williams

7. North Central

8. Wisconsin-Oshkosh

9. Haverford

10. Augustana (IL)

11. Keene State

12. Amherst

13. Ohio Northern

14. Case Western Reserve

15. Luther

16. Geneseo State

17. Allegheny

18. Heidelberg

19. Dickinson

20. Coast Guard Academy

21. TCNJ

22. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

23. Wisconsin-Eau Claire

24. MIT

25. Washington (MO)

26. Nebraska Wesleyan

26. Hamline

28. Trinity (CT)

29. Willamette

30. New York University

31. Johns Hopkins

32. Grinnell

32. St. Olaf

34. Mount Union

35. Emory

Wise Center, Athletic Department Tour

We continue our video tours of Allegheny College's campus! Follow Coach Eby on a tour of the Wise Center, our Indoor Athletic Facility:

Cross Country Course/Trails Tour!

Here is a video tour of the home cross country course and trail system up at Robertson Sports Complex:

Gator Men Take First at Pre Regionals at Waynesburg!

Here is a video of the Gator Men this Saturday with a first place finish at the Waynesburg Invite. It sure was a wet one!

Lady Gators Finish Third at Pre Regionals at Waynesburg!

Here is a video of the Women's Race on Saturday:

Mia Symoniak and Tony DiPre named NCAC runner of the week

Allegheny College cross country runners Tony Dipre (Twinsburg, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) and Mia Symoniak (East Snyder, N.Y./Amherst) have been selected as the North Coast Athletic Conference Runners of the Week.

Dipre held the Gator men to a first-place finish at the Waynesburg Invitational behind his own first-place finish as he covered the course in 25:57 and helped to pace a string of Gators that swept the gold, silver and bronze places.

Symoniak finished fifth overall on the women's side and posted the highest finish out of the Gator women with a time of 23:33. Her efforts helped Allegheny to a third-place finish at the Waynesburg Invite as the Gators completed the team scoring eight points ahead of nationally-ranked (27th) Grove City.

Both Dipre and Symoniak have completed two races this season and both have finished in the top 10 each time.

Matt Lacombe on Academics at Allegheny

NAME: Matt Lacombe

High School PR’s

400– 52.9

800– 1:59

1600– 4:30

3200– 9:55

5kxc– 16:47

College PR’s

Mile– 4:30

3000– 9:17

5k– 15:49

8kxc– 28:03

10k– 33:45

Year: Sophomore

Major: Political Science and Economics

High School: Gilmour Academy

Hometown: Cleveland

What other Colleges were you looking at?

Boston College and Miami

Why did you decide on Allegheny?

Academically, the personal attention that students get from professors is a major bonus. You are not treated as a number here in any way. Financially, Allegheny offers students a great deal of aid, which played a role in my decision. Running was what put my decision over the top. At the bigger schools I was looking at, I would have had the opportunity to walk on but would not have been a valued member of the team, at the least at the start of it. The opportunity to come into a program I believe in and be given the attention I need to develop led me to pick Allegheny.

How did you go about choosing your major?

I knew coming in that I was very interested in Political Science and had a feeling it would be my major. I was encouraged by my advisor to take some courses in areas that I didn’t have a great deal of knowledge about to see if they interest me. I took an entry level Economics course and became very interested immediately. The professors in that department were very helpful in letting me know what I would need to do to complete a double major and helped me out a lot in making that decision.

What do you plan to do after you graduate from Allegheny?

I plan to attend law school and possibly get into a combination program where I could obtain my law degree and an MBA in four years.

How has being on a successful track and/or cross country team helped you with school?

Running competitively forces you to manage your time well. There are a few occasions where the time commitment involved with running makes school more difficult, but on a daily basis, school is made easier because of running due to the routine it puts you in. When you know what time you will be at practice each day and what time you will need to go to bed, you also know the times in which you need to do school work. That routine has been the key to my success so far. Also, we are lucky to be part of an athletic department that values academics. Coach Ross is very willing to work with you when you have academic conflicts that force you to sometimes miss practice. So far, I have not passed on any academic opportunities I’ve been presented with due to the rigors of running.

What unique opportunities have you had through attending Allegheny (internships, research, etc...)?

This year I am a student fellow in the Allegheny Center for Political Participation. This opportunity is unique in that, really, it found me. I was recommended to the CPP by one of my FS professors who I became close with. Without his recommendation, I would most likely not be involved in the CPP and prestigious internship it gave me. Basically, the small school atmosphere here makes it easy for students to become aware of opportunities to better themselves that they probably wouldn’t have otherwise known about.

You can find Matt's Track Bio here

Long Run at Presque Isle State Park

The team loaded up into Vans at 8:00 am on Sunday morning to head up to Erie for their long run at Presque Isle. After a good long run the team soaked in Lake Erie for a little then went to grab some lunch at a local burger joint. All in all it was a very good trip with many people going for their longest run ever. Here is a video of all the fun:

A look back at ACXC History

After being up at Presque Isle for our long run I couldn't help but think about this years teams and where the season will go for us. Each year is a fresh start but I found my thoughts wandering back to that muddy day in Cincinnati Ohio where our men's team finished third, and how their season started and the potential they had. There are some similarites but there is a long ways to go in this season and only time will tell. Above is picture of our 2006 Men's Team accepting our third place trophy at the NCAA XC Championships.

Men's National Poll

Men's Poll

Rank/Institution

1. SUNY Cortland

2. Calvin College

3. Wisconsin-La Crosse

4. Wisconsin-Stevens Point

5. Carnegie Mellon University

6. Williams College

7. North Central College

8. Amherst College

9. Ohio Northern University

10. Augustana College

11. Haverford College

12. Nebraska Wesleyan

13. Wisconsin-Oshkosh

14. Allegheny College

15. Trinity College

16. Heidlberg College

16. Luther College

18. SUNY Geneseo

19. Willamette University

20. Keene State College

21. Dickinson College

22. College of New Jersey

23. Washington University

24. Case Western Reserve

25. St. Olaf University

26. New York University

27. MIT

28. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

29. University of Texas-Tyler

29. Brandeis University

31. Mount Union College

32. Johns Hopkins University

33. Saint Lawrence University

34. Bethel College

34. Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Womens National Poll

Women

Rank/Institution

1. Amherst College

2. Luther

3. Wisconsin Eau Claire

4. Calvin College

5. SUNY Geneseo

6. Washington University

7. Depauw University

8. Williams College

9. Wisconsin-Platteville

10. Case Western

11. Ithaca College

12. Colby College

13. Wartburg College

14. Middlebury College

15. College of New Jersey

16. Wisconsin-LaCrosse

17. Johns Hopkins

18. Willamette University

19. Emory University

20. Loras

21. Wisconsin-Oshkosh

22. SUNY Cortland

23. St. Thomas

24. Whitman College

25. MIT

26. Oberlin

27. Swarthmore College

28. Wheaton

28. Kenyon

30. Nebraska Wesleyan

31. Brockport

32. Washington & Lee

33. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

34. Bowdoin

35. Allegheny

35. Trinity Univ.

First meet of the cross country season

This past weekend, our men's and women's cross country teams opened their seasons at Case Western Reserve's home course on a hot and humid day. At this point in the season, our program focuses on gaining strength and endurance, with speed work coming in later months. Despite the heat, the rolling hills, and the high mileage our team has run recently, the athletes turned in outstanding performances.

The Gator women finished third behind nationally-ranked programs Case Western (#10) and Oberlin (#26). The team was led by Mia Symoniak (jr., 10th place), with sophomores Katie Stancik (13th) and Rachel Hutchinson (17th) finishing close behind. Rounding out the top five were sophomore Lindsay Pugh (35th) and freshman Hallie Dilley (37th). All four returners competed in last year's national championship meet. With several additional underclassmen training hard and three dedicated seniors providing leadership, we expect the women to continue to improve throughout the season.

The Allegheny College men's program also returns four athletes who were members of last year's squad that finished 7th at Nationals, including sophomore Zac Ross, juniors Tony Dipre and Devon Flynnperrault, and senior Matt Hoy. On Saturday, the team finished second behind Case Western's nationally ranked program. The men had an excellent 1-5 spread, with Ross (2nd), Dipre (6th), Hoy (10th), Flynnperrault (13th), and junior Jake Zimmerman (15th) finishing within 55 seconds of one another. Not only did the team have a fast top five, they showed they have the depth to return to the national championships this November. Ryan Hanson (19th) and Jeramie Parker (21st) finished within 20 seconds of Zimmerman, and Allegheny placed 10 runners before Baldwin Wallace's fifth man.

--Cassie Stilley; Assistant Coach