Post Classifieds
Buffalo State earns regional ranking
By Angelica Rodriguez
On September 19, 2012
The Buffalo State cross country team held up well against difficult competition at the University of
Rochester on Saturday, running on what will be the course for Nov. 10's NCAA Atlantic Regional
championship.
The men placed eighth of 24 teams, competing against regionally and nationally ranked teams such as
SUNY Cortland and Dickinson. Freshmen Bumkoth Jiak and Alex Ngabo once again paced the Bengals.
Jiak placed 35th of 333 runners, finishing at 26:14.8, and Ngabo placed just one second after him in 36th
(26:15.8). Rounding out the Bengals' top five were sophomores Kyle Foster in 56th (26:32.6) and Arturo
Salas in 112th (27:10.3), and junior Kyle Pilecki in 121st (27:18.2).
Head coach Dustin Dimit was pleased with how the men's side ran.
"The quality of competition was much higher [this week]," he said. "We were able to beat some
regionally ranked teams and we expect to be regionally ranked this week, which would be the first time
in the school's history."
The Bengals earned their ranking and were named the eighth-best team in the Atlantic Region by the
United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Salas, the Bengals' top runner last season, competed in his first run of the season after sitting out the
first couple of weeks.
"I feel like I could have done a bit better," he said. "I started off pretty slow, but then again it was my
first race. I feel like I'll get back into the swing of things in the next couple of weeks."
"We thought that if he ran a good race, we'd be in seventh, and we ended up in eighth," Dimit
added, "so we're basically where we thought we would be at this time in the season."
Despite improving on personal times, the women's side faltered a bit after last week's performance,
placing 19th of 23 teams. Sophomore Rachel Parker was Buffalo State's top finisher, placing 110th of
333 runners (24:12.3). Following her were junior Victoria DeStefano in 144th (24:33.6), sophomores
Ana Rivera in 166th (24:49.2) and Sabrina Brooks in 189th (25:05.9), and freshman Taylor Hock in 222nd
(25:25.7).
Dimit said the women's race was decent, but not great. "Our pack spread out a bit," he said. "We still
need to be more consistent."
Parker took over the reins from Hock as far as pacing went this week, and she was happy with her
performance. She was familiar with the course at Genesee Valley, having run it in high school.
"It's my favorite course," she said. "I always get my best times there. It feels great to be running close to
my times in high school."
DeStefano, a co-captain, says things are still looking positive for the women's runners.
"Each [returning runner's] times have improved by almost 1:30, and that's across the board," DeStefano
said. "We've definitely moved up compared to the prior week."
However, DeStefano believes she still has work to do.
"I want to achieve the 'runner's high,'" she said, referring to the rush runners and athletes get after a
hard workout. "I've been pushing myself, but not to the point where I've gotten there yet."
She and her teammates will have a chance to do that with their trip to Kentucky on Sept. 29 for the
Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic. This will be the first time either side will have run at the Classic.
Teams from all across the country take part. DeStefano said she is excited for the opportunity.
"I am so hyped for Louisville," DeStefano said. "This will be breaking new ground. It's a 5k course, so it
gives the freshmen a chance to get back into their comfort zone. I'm seeing personal records - I think we
can break 20:00. That's our goal."
Angelica Rodriguez can be reached at rodriguez.record@live.com.
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