2007 ESU Cross Country Season Outlook

Seniors Iuri Pinto and Lori Johanson, two of the top runners in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and the Northeast Region, will lead the East Stroudsburg University cross country teams in 2007.

Pinto placed 8th in the PSAC and 10th in the Region last year, and he will challenge for a trip to the NCAA's this fall. The former high school soccer player has made a tremendous impact during his career at ESU, beginning with a 7th place finish in the Region as a freshman.

He has also been a standout in both indoor and outdoor track, winning the 1500 (outdoors) and the mile (indoors) at the PSAC championships last year and anchoring three straight conference championships in the Distance Medley Relay.

While Pinto returns, the Warriors lost four of their top six runners to graduation from a team that placed fourth in the Region in 2006.

Veteran head coach Joe Koch still sees potential for a successful season if the returners step up and continue to improve, and one or two of the freshmen are able to make the transition from high school cross country and contribute immediately.

The top returners joining Pinto are juniors Kyle Layton and Kyle Weir, along with sophomore Ryan Doyle. Both Layton and Weir showed tremendous improvement as sophomores, and Doyle was one of the top freshmen in the conference last year during both cross country and track seasons.

Seniors Frank Adragna, Matt Frable and Mitch Slater are also expected to contribute, as is sophomore Dan Bowden.

Freshmen Jim Norley and Doug Weeks are beginning their careers this fall and have the potential to form an impressive one-two punch as they develop at the college level.

On the women's side, Koch said that ESU has its best top four in the last five years with senior Amber Horn, junior Amanda "Sarge" Bradbury and sophomore Niki Pasquarella joining Johanson at the top of the roster.

Johanson was 24th at PSAC's and 31st in the Region last season and has All-PSAC and All-Region aspirations as a senior. Bradbury turned in consistent performances last year and Horn was one of the top distance runners in the PSAC in the spring. Pasquarella was a conference qualifier in the steeplechase as a freshman.

The emergence of another top runner could push the Warriors to impressive performances at the PSAC and NCAA Regional Championships. ESU was 10th at Regionals a year ago.

The fifth runner is expected to come from a group that includes junior Kathleen Magerr, sophomore Bree Kelly, and freshmen Kristine Goemaat, Amy Moratz and Leanne Pelak. Junior Clarissa Cooblall, a middle distance runner on the track team, may also contribute.