Owl runners to be tested on Saturday

KEENE, N.H., 9/22/10 –The Keene State men's cross country team will need to be running on all cylinders on Saturday, navigating it way up-and-down the challenging and hilly Mount Greylock High School course at the Williams College Purple Valley Classic.

The Owls did their share of climbing in the USTFCCCA national poll this week.  KSC moved up 10 spots and enter Saturday's race ranked 18th in Division III. 

"It was good climb," said KSC coach Peter Thomas. "It's nice to get the recognition after a strong performance at UMass-Dartmouth. But we'll have to earn our ranking this weekend. 

Returning to the trails after capturing the UMass-Dartmouth Invitational championship, Keene State, ranked third regionally, will go up against several nationally ranked teams at Williamstown.

Host Williams, (ranked 13th), Amherst (ranked 23rd), and MIT (ranked 29th) will also be in the competitive field along with Tufts, a top regional team.

"With the caliber of teams, we should get a good sense of where we are at this stage of the season," said Thomas. 

The Owls will be led by a pack that includes senior Eric MacKnight (Newtown, Conn.), who won his first college cross country at UMD, junior Kevin Hoyt (Newtown, Conn.), and senior Tim Pipp (Keene, N.H.).

The Keene State women's cross country team will look to move into the national poll with a strong showing on Saturday.  The Owls, who placed third at UMass-Dartmouth last week, are ranked eighth in the New England region.

With junior Paige Mills (Keene, N.H.) taking the week off, KSC will be led by a group that includes junior Andrea Walsh (Bolton, Conn.), senior Amy Knoblock (Plymouth, Mass.), and junior Haley Lydstone (Bedford, N.H.).

Keene State will be very acquainted with the Mount Greylock course by the end of the season.  The Owls will also compete in the Plansky Invitational on Sat., Oct. 16 and the NCAA New England regional meet on Sat., Nov. 13.