September 13, 1998

The Villanova mens and womens cross country squads started the 1998 season in fine style on Saturday, Sept. 12, with top team finishes at the Lafayette Invitational in Easton, Pa. The Wildcat women posted the top three individual finishes en route to their first-place team effort, while the men captured the runner-up team spot.

Head coach Marcus OSullivans womens squad captured the team crown with 58 points on the afternoon, followed by runner-up Princeton with 73 points and Pennsylvania in third place with 92 points. The Wildcat men posted 59 points on the day, placing second behind Columbia with 26 points. Host Lafayette locked up the third-place spot with 114 points.

Kristen Nicolini (Sr., Annapolis, Md.) began her final campaign in a Wildcat uniform with the Lafayette Invitational individual championship, winning the 131-member race in a time of 17:57. Right behind her was Sarah Vance Goodman (Fr., Asheville, N.C.), who placed second in 18:02 to start her rookie campaign exceptionally strong. Finishing in third place overall was All-American and National Champion Carmen Douma (Jr., Cambridge, Ontario), who crossed the finish line in 18:18.

Villanova received another strong performance from Ann McGranahan (So., Pensacola, Fla.) who placed seventh in 19:07. McGranahan was an NCAA qualifier in indoor and outdoor track a season ago after redshirting the 1997 cross country season.

On the mens side, the Wildcats were paced by Coulby Dunn (Sr., Greentown, Pa.), who finished fifth overall in 26:24. Dunn was an All-Big East performer in cross country in 1997, and one of Villanovas leaders. Scott Tantino (Jr., North Wales, Pa.), another All-League runner in 1997, finished behind Dunn in the sixth-place spot in 26:27.

Villanova also received outstanding efforts from a pair of freshman, Eric Reese (Fr., Dushore, Pa.) and Ben Showers (Fr., West Chester, Pa.). Reese made an impact in his debut for the Wildcats, placing seventh overall in a time of 26:31, while Showers was also impressive with a 19th-place effort in 27:26.

Also scoring for the Wildcats were Dean Smith (Jr., Baltimore, Md.), who placed 22nd overall in 27:31, and Brock Butler (Sr., West Chester, Pa.), who finished in 29th place with a time of 27:53.

The Wildcats will see action again on Oct. 3, 1998, in Bethlehem, Pa. at the Paul Short Invitational. Start time for the men is 9:30 a.m., while the women will begin at 10:15 a.m.

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