Terps Cross Country To Face Tough ACC Rivals In Atlanta

Oct. 30, 2002

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Ever since last year's ACC Championships, the Terps have been on a mission to prove that they are a competitive force in the conference this season. After showing consistent improvement throughout the year, the Maryland cross country teams seem to be fully prepared for the Nov. 2 ACC showdown in Atlanta, Ga.

This Year's ACC Championships

The race is hosted by Georgia Tech, and will be held on Nov. 2 in Atlanta, Ga. The women's championship will begin at 10 a.m. and the men's championship will begin at 11 a.m.

The Georgia Regional Hospital Cross Country Course is the site of competition. The course supports a 6,000 meter race for the women and an 8,000 meter race for the men.

Following the races, multiple awards will be given out, including plaques for the top men's and women's team and medals for the top three individuals in each race. Additionally, the All-Conference team will be named, composed of the top 10 finishers in each Conference Championship race. The Coach-of-the-Year will be announced, as well as Freshman-of-the-Year, which is the highest freshman finisher in each race.

Tough Competition Abound

The Maryland women enter the race ranked eighth in the Mid-Atlantic region of Division I schools. Their top ranking regional position was seventh, achieved in Week 4 of the season. The Terps will be competing against several nationally ranked schools, including Wake Forest (4), NC State (6), Duke (13), North Carolina (15) and Virginia (16). Additionally, all of these schools plus Georgia Tech and Florida State hold rankings in the top five of their regions.

On the men's side, six ACC teams hold regional rankings. Florida State ranks fifth in the South, while NC State holds the top spot in the Southeast, and is number 21 on the national poll. Also ranking in the Southeast region are Virginia (3), Clemson (4), Duke (6) and Wake Forest (8).

Recap of the 2001 ACC Championships

Although the men's team had put in long practice hours throughout the season, their hard work was not reflected in their ninth place finish at the ACC Championships in Clemson, S.C. This was their fourth consecutive year finishing ninth. Individual accomplishments included Matt Adami (Mt. Airy, Md.) taking 50th place with a 26:33.5, and Mike Prada (Fulton, Md.) finishing in 53rd with a 26:39.0.

The women broke a three-year ninth place finish streak by taking eighth at last year's championships. Monique Berry led the Terps, in 55th place with a 24:02.5, and Lorna Dorland (Rockland, Maine) finished two seconds behind her in 56th.

Recap of the Maryland Invitational

Resting several of its top runners for the ACC Championships, the Maryland squads swept second place out of seven teams at their only home meet of the season on Oct. 19. Taking first place in both meets was American, who won by only four points over the Terp women.

Freshman Katie Purcell (Coraopolis, Pa.) finished her fourth race at the front of the Maryland pack, winning fourth overall with a 18:23. Next came fellow freshman Cori Koch (Lutherville, Md.) in fifth with a 18:38. Junior Kim Smith (Glastonbury, Conn.) also finished in the top 10, her time of 19:09 earning her eighth place.

It was Prada who led the men's team to its second place finish, taking fourth place with a 25:45. Sophomore Adam Ambrus (Shamong, N.J.) followed, with a 25:55 that gave him eighth place. Less than one minute behind came Adami in 11th.

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