Providence Cross Country Teams Set To Compete At Coast-to-Coast Battle In Beantown

Sept. 21, 2018

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Providence College men's and women's cross-country teams are set to compete at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown in Boston, Mass. on Friday, Sept. 21. The Friars will toe the line against multiple nationally and regionally ranked teams in the Boston College hosted race at Franklin Park. The meet will include three races. The featured women's 5k will start at 3:00 p.m., followed by the featured men's 8k at 3:30 p.m. The meet will conclude with an open mixed 5k at 4:15p.m.

Both the men and women are coming into Beantown with wins at the UNH Dual Meet (Sept.1). The men recorded a total of 15 points, sweeping the top eight spots, while the women finished in the first two spots and had four Friars in the top six to win the meet with 22 points.

Leading the charge on Friday will be junior Abbey Wheeler (Elmira, N.Y.). Wheeler finished as the top individual at the UNH Dual Meet, running 17:21.37. For her performance at UNH, she was named the BIG EAST Athlete of the Week on Sept. 5. Wheeler will look to be a threat in Boston on Friday, after placing sixth (17:21) last year.

Alongside Wheeler will be sophomore Maria Coffin (Annapolis, Md.). Coffin has made a huge improvement from last cross-country season, finishing beside Wheeler at the UNH Dual Meet. Last year, Coffin placed 46^th(18:13) at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown and will look to run with the top group in a strong field this Friday. Graduate student Regan Rome (Dalla, Pa.) will also join Wheeler and Coffin. Rome finished fourth (17:50.58) at the UNH Dual Meet and looks to bring her experience against nationally ranked teams.

Rounding out the top six will be junior Alex DeCicco (Sachem, N.Y.), sophomore Hanna Johnston (Thunder Bay, Ontario) and freshman Hannah McReavy (Colorado Springs, Colo.). DeCicco, Johnston and McReavy ran solid races at UNH, placing six, nine and ten, respectively. The trio will help the Friars on Friday.

The women will look to defend their Beantown title against No. 22 Syracuse, No. 24 Minnesota and No. 27 Dartmouth.

On the men's side, graduate student Michael Wyman (Marion, Mass.), junior Ian Steller (Providence, R.I.) and sophomore David Rosas (Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.) will lead the Friars against four nationally ranked teams on Friday. Wyman opened his Providence cross country career with a first-place finish (15:05.63) at the UNH Dual Meet. He looks to contribute his experience against a competitive field.

Steller and Rosas will join Wyman at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown. Last time out, Rosas and Steller finished seconds behind Wyman, placing third and fourth at the UNH Dual Meet. Rosas is making a big jump thus far, this season and looks to improve upon his 72nd (25:40) place finish at Beantown last year.

Juniors Liam Harris (Douglas, County Cork, Ireland) and Peter Rindfuss (Hamburg, N.Y.) will also step up to the line on Friday. Harris was the sixth Friar across the line at UNH, while Rindfuss finished right behind rounding out the top seven. Joining the upperclassmen will be a strong group of sophomore and freshmen. The underclassmen look to contribute to the Friars on Friday.

The men will be up against No. 10 Syracuse, No.12 Campbell, No.17 Virginia and No. 26 Washington.

The women's race is set to go off at 3:00 p.m. and the men are scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start.

-GO FRIARS!-

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Players Mentioned

Maria Coffin

Alex DeCicco

Hanna Johnston

Hannah McReavy

Regan Rome

Abbey Wheeler