Penn College Runners Look to Continue Tradition
Published 08.31.2005
Whether his teams return two veterans or 12, Pennsylvania College of Technology cross country coach Mike Paulhamus is always optimistic about his upcoming season.
"I always keep a positive frame, so I'm looking at just doing what we've done the last couple of years. Our goal is win the state championship again," the fifth-year coach said.
For the Wildcat men − who actually do return only two runners from last year − that may take some doing.
"We're facing a rebuilding season − big time!" Paulhamus said. Last year, the Penn College men went 14-9 and won team trophies in the Commonwealth Campus Athletic Conference, Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference and Pennsylvania Collegiate Athletic Association. His returnees are sophomores Tom Lambert of Bangor and Mike Womelsdorf of Allentown.
Other menon whom Paulhamus is counting include Chad Hutchinson (freshman/Pottsgrove), Dan LaSota (sophomore/Western Wayne), Devon Lucabaugh (sophomore/Dallastown), Ben Myers (freshman/Hempfield), Ryan O'Connor (freshman/Southwest Central, N.Y.), Pat Wisinski (freshman/Erie), and John Zaginalyo (freshman/Columbia-Montour).
Numbers-wise, the Wildcat women's squad should be better off as it has four returnees, including Jennie Mull (Huntingdon), who ran at No. 1 last year and led the team to the EPCC and PCAA titles; Krystal Sheredos (Bangor), who was No. 3 last season; Jennifer Friese (Chambersburg), who was No. 4, and Tracy Seylar (Chambersburg), who was No. 5.
Newcomers expected to help are Lindsey Edwards of Williamsport and Angela Valentine (Tamaqua).
"We've practiced well, but we've got to get to a meet to see where we are," Paulhamus said as his teams prepared for their openers Saturday at the Marywood Invitational. "I've got some talented kids."
This season, the Wildcats will compete only in the Penn State University Athletic Conference, formerly the CCAC.
Complete rosters and season schedules are available on the college's athletics Web site.