Men's Cross Country Tabbed Fourth in USTFCCCA East Region Poll
Junior thinclad J.T. Trujillo finished among the top-50 at last year's NE-10 championship
RINDGE, N.H. (September 2, 2013) – The Franklin
Pierce University men’s cross country team received some
heady praise recently – despite being in just its second
varsity season – as the Ravens were tabbed fourth in the
USTFCCCA East Region Preseason Poll.
The high ranking comes on the heels of a solid debut season for the Ravens in 2012, which saw the team turn in several impressive performances, including some outstanding individual efforts.
Franklin Pierce returns nearly its entire roster from 2012, including the top-five runners who placed at the NCAA East Regional Championship. The Ravens were led a season ago by rookie sensation Colton Ham (Webster, N.H.), who earned Third-Team All-Northeast-10 Conference honors after finishing 19th at the conference championship, and then picking up All-East Region honors following a 30th place performance at the East regional.
Two other Ravens who finished among the top-50 in the individual standings at last year’s conference championship return, including sophomore Ryan Cross (Suffern, N.Y.) and junior J.T. Trujillo (Derry, N.H.). Cross placed 45th at the meet, while Trujillo followed in 50th.
In addition to those returnees, Franklin Pierce will welcome to the fold this year a pair of transfer harriers, who two seasons ago turned in several amazing performances for head coach Zach Emerson while at New England College. Antoine Gisore (Concord, N.H.) and Makopa Rugabirwa (Concord, N.H.) were standouts at the Division III level, including Gisore, who advanced to the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championship after a stellar run through the regional competitions.
American International was slated first in the preseason regional poll, while Stonehill and Adelphi rounded out the top three in second and third, respectively.
Franklin Pierce opens its 2013 campaign this Saturday when the Ravens compete in the Roger Williams Invitational in Bristol, R.I., beginning at 10 a.m. Franklin Pierce will host the inaugural Bruce Kirsh Cross Country Cup on Saturday, Sept. 14, on the Rindge campus beginning at 10 a.m. on the upper grass field.
For more information on Franklin Pierce men’s and women’s cross country, please visit the teams’ respective pages at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu(.) To follow the programs even further, please Franklin Pierce Athletics on YouTube (www.youtube.com/FranklinPierceSports), Twitter (www.twitter.com/FPUathletics) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce cross country apparel can do so on the athletic department’s online store at http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store(.)