The upcoming season for Iona College Cross Country will once again be another banner year.

The men’s team returns two-time track national champion Leonard Korir and the women’s team returns an experienced squad looking to go to nationals. The men’s team has had nine consecutive top ten finishes at nationals, while the women’s team has won the MAAC title since 2005.

 

On the men’s side, senior Leonard Korir will be one of the favorites to take home a national crown.

Korir is a national champion in the Indoor 5k and Outdoor 10k. Korir is also a five-time All-American (2010 cross country; 2011 Indoor 3k and 5k; 2011 Outdoor 5k and 10k), and defending NCAA Northeast Regional Champion for cross-country.

“Training is going very well. We are hoping to achieve some good results this year,” Korir said, “Cross-country needs some teamwork and we are working together to achieve something at the end of the year. We have a better team this year than last year and hopefully we will get good us.”

Senior Heidi Gregson is one of the premier track runners in the country, and will lead the way for the Gaels. Gregson is also the 2010 MAAC Champion for cross-country.

Another senior part of the lead pack will be Teegan Schoch, who had to sit out last year due to NCAA transfer regulations, but is a MAAC champion in the Indoor 5k, and Distance Medley Relay. She also is the 2011 Outdoor 10k champion in the MAAC.

In addition to the senior duo, junior Marion Joly-Testault was All-Northeast Region for cross-country in 2009, and she is also a three-time MAAC champion for track.

 

Along with Iona’s core of experienced runners, many other runners can step up for Iona.

 

“We will need some of the other girls to step up, like Kirsten Stewart, Luci McLoughlin, Kate Niblock, Chelsea Hanson and Courtney Veilleux who are all capable of making contributions. We have Hollie Rowland, who is doing grad school, and freshman, Regina Neumeyer, and Lauren Calvino who will also be in the mix,” Santos said.

The upcoming season will be a test for the women’s team and can be a turning point in the program’s history.

Gregson is optimistic about the season and said, “The women’s team is relatively young, but I have high hopes for the girl’s and what great things we can achieve. Our ultimate goal is to qualify for NCAA’s. Even though this will be a great challenge considering the depth we have in our region, I am confident that with the solid talent we have this year, we have a chance to do