CANTON -- The 2015 season will be an exciting one for the SUNY Canton women's cross country program.

"Eight of the nine women from last year's team will return and we welcome six new student-athletes," Head Coach Katie Kennedy said. "This is our largest and most talented roster to date."

Senior team captains Keara Byrne (Queensbury, NY), Laura DiFrenza (Salt Point, NY), and Jess Nagy (Budd Lake, NJ) have been with the cross country program since their freshman year.

"They have set some excellent goals for the season and are looking forward to a stronger finish at USCAA Nationals in November," Kennedy said.

The Roos have finished ninth at the USCAA Championships the last three seasons. "I'd like to see our team finish higher this year," Kennedy stated. "Additionally, I think we have the potential to take home some invitational wins, particularly at the Vermont meets."

Seniors

Keara Byrne (Captain) – "Keara has been one of our top runners for the past three seasons. I am looking for her to be a leader and role model for the incoming freshman class. She has been a USCAA Runner of the Week and holds four of the fastest 5K times and three of the fastest 6K times in program history. With hard work this season, she has the potential to run her best times yet and earn an All-American spot at USCAA Nationals."

Laura DiFrenza (Captain) – "Laura is probably one of the hardest working athletes I have ever coached. She is an excellent mentor for athletes running cross country for the first time. Since her freshman year, she has battled through injuries and improved her 5K time by nearly four minutes and her 6K time by nearly two minutes. Laura is also our team leader in community service and philanthropy."

Jessica Nagy (Captain) – "We are so glad to have Jess back this season! After recovering from a foot injury last fall, she has been working hard to develop her strength and fitness. She has the potential to run some of her best 5K and 6K times this season. I am also looking for Jess to be a strong mentor and provide guidance to the incoming freshman class.

Bri Herd – "Bri was new to cross country last season, and with a lot of hard work she has become a true distance runner. She was our most improved runner last season, and she bettered her 5K time by over seven minutes! After a summer of solid training, I am excited to

see what she will do this season."

Sophomores

Patti Carpenter – "Patti improved by leaps and bounds last season. As an example, her 6K time at USCAA Nationals was faster than her first 5K of the season, and she was our third runner at that meet. She has really developed a love for cross country and put in some quality miles during our spring season. Patti has strong finishing speed, and with some added confidence from last season she will continue to improve."

Kim McCarthy – "Kim is a talented athlete and competed in both cross country and basketball last year. She has a

great attitude and works hard. Kim battled some injuries later in the season, so I don't think we had the chance to see her run to her potential. With hard work, I think she will be a huge asset and scoring runner for us this season."

Samantha Smith – "Sam was one of our top runners last season. In her first year, she ran the fifth fastest 5K time in program history and earned Rookie of the Week recognition from the ECAC. Sam was also able to train through a back injury. If she can stay healthy this season, she has the potential to run some fast 5K and 6K times and earn USCAA All-American status."

Rachel Youngers – "Rachel had a solid freshman year and was my consistent third and fourth runner all season. She

is a hard worker and team player. Rachel steadily improved her 5K times over the course of last season and ran a personal best at the CCOC Invitational. I think she is beginning to realize that she can run some fast times if she pushes herself."

Freshmen

Julie Angell – "Julie ran cross country and was a competitive cheerleader for Warrensburg Central School. She is athletic and should be a solid contributor to our team this season."

Jenna Kiskiel – "Jenna is a talented athlete and excels in three sports: cross country, basketball and softball. She is a

strong addition to our athletics programs as a whole. Jenna ran some solid times for her high school team, Rome Free Academy, and I think she has the potential to run with our top group this season."

Aine McMorrow – Aine attended high school in Dublin, Ireland where she played Gaelic football,

which she describes as a combination of basketball and soccer. She's a dedicated runner who ran the fastest women's mile at her school and has an impressive 10K time under her belt this summer. Like Jenna, I think Aine has the potential to be right up there with our top group this season."

Allison Fink – Allison was on my radar last year, so I am excited she is committed to joining the team this season. She is a talented athlete and ran some very good times for Saranac Central. It will be interesting to see where she fits in the mix this year."

Schynia Petteys – "Schynia, who ran for Corinth Central, is excited about jumping back into cross country after a year away from the sport. I think she'll be a great addition to our team."

Allie Phillips – "Allie is a transfer student who is new to the sport of cross country. She excelled in the sprints for Palmyra Macedon High School and earned a scholarship to compete for Aquinas College. We are excited to have Allie at Canton, and based on my conversations with her this summer, she is working hard to become a distance runner."

The 2015 SUNY Canton women's cross country team will open its season Tuesday, September 2nd when it hosts the

Kangaroo Invitational at 6 p.m. Stay up to date with the latest news directly from the SUNY Canton Athletics department by "liking" us on Facebook and "following" our Twitter, Instagram and YouTube accounts.