Nov. 10, 2006

PITTSBURGH - The Pitt cross country team is headed to Lock Haven for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships, hosted by Bucknell University. The meet will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11. The women will run a 6K race which starts at 11 a.m., and the men will compete in a 10K race which begins at 12:15 p.m.

Like the Big East Championship course at Franklin Park, the West Branch Cross country Course is totally flat. Expectations are high for both the women and the men's teams to succeed on this course. The top two teams will receive an automatic bid to nationals, and the top four individuals not on those two teams will also get a bid.

Men's Preview
After placing seventh overall at the Big East Championships, the Pitt men's team is ready to compete this Saturday. The Panthers are bringing seven competitors to Lock Haven. Senior Sam Bair (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area/Kent State) has led the team most of the season and is looking to get his first cross country bid to nationals. Bair placed eighth at the Paul Short Invitational, 48th at the Pre-National Invitational and 40th at the Big East Championships.

Leading the team at the Big East Championships was senior Tim Konoval (Parry Sound, Ontario/Central Connecticut State) who placed 28th overall. Konoval also placed sixth at the Duquesne Duals, eighth at the Spike Shoe Invitational and 11th at the Paul Short Invitational. Senior Eric Fleming (West Chester, PA/Bishop Shanahan) placed 11th at the Duquesne Duals and 37th at the Big East Championships.

Other key contributors are seniors Mike Long (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville North) and Andy Tomaswick (Natrona Heights, Pa./Highlands). Long has had a successful season, placing fourth at the Duquesne Duals, 21st at the Spiked Shoe Invitational and 24th at the Paul Short Invitational. Tomaswick placed seventh at the Duquesne Duals and 43rd at the Big East Championships. Junior Curtis Larimer (Colorado Springs, Colo./Palmer) is looking to improve his regional time from last year, and freshman Lane King (Fairview, Pa./Fairview) is anticipating his first regional championship competition.

Women's Preview
The Pitt women's cross country team placed 12th overall at the Big East Championships, and are hoping to have several top finishes at this weekends regional meet. Sophomore Monica Bhattacharjee (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) led the women's team at the Big East Championships, the Duquesne Duals and the CMU Invitational. Nikki Bielick (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) led the women's team at the CMU Invitational and Paul Short Invitational

Bailey Flask (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington North) stepped up to the plate at the Big East Championships and placed an overall 61st. Senior Suzy Bossart (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) will be competing in her final regional championship and is hoping to close out her career with a solid finish. Bossart placed within Pitt's top five runners for every meet this season. Melissa Vignetti (Pittsburgh, Pa./McMurray) placed among the top seven Pitt runners at the Big East Championships and will help the Panthers this coming Saturday.

Sophomores Aly Brown (Hickory, Pa./Fort Cherry) and Rachel Botham (Shoreline, Wash./Shorewood) have both had successful seasons. Brown placed 49th at the CMU Invitational and 76th at the Big East Championships. Placing 12th at the Duquesne Duals, 31st at the CMU Invitational and 77th at the Big East Championships, Botham has also had a competitive year.