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New coach, same philosophy for SLU women’s cross country

Posted 8/27/16

CANTON -- The St. Lawrence University women's cross country team begins the 2016 season with a new coach, but the transition should be relatively easy for most of the returners. Kate Curran has been …

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New coach, same philosophy for SLU women’s cross country

Posted

CANTON -- The St. Lawrence University women's cross country team begins the 2016 season with a new coach, but the transition should be relatively easy for most of the returners. Kate Curran has been an assistant cross country coach and head track and field coach for the past eight years.

She added head women's cross country coach to her title after Mike Howard, who had been coaching Saints' cross country and track and field teams for the last 29 years, left St. Lawrence to take the athletic director position at SUNY Plattsburgh.

"It seems like a natural transition," said Curran, who became the third head coach in program history. (Howard was the program's first coach, and Deb Danehy Lyndaker '97 also served as the head coach of the program for several years in the 2000s). "Because I've been an assistant for the men's and women's teams for the last eight years, I got to learn a lot before I jumped in. Fundamentally, training-wise, we're not going to change that much. The things that have been our bread and butter key workouts, are for the most part going to be the same or very similar to what they've been in the past."

Curran inherits a solid corps of returners, including senior Lisa Grohn, the only three-year captain in program history, and junior Megan Kellogg, both of whom turned in All-America performances in 2014. Grohn was just six seconds off becoming a repeat All-America selection at the NCAA Championships last year.

"(Lisa and Megan) are both coming off outstanding outdoor track seasons," said Curran. "Ashley Leta, who has been on the (NCAA qualifying) team with us the last two years is back as well, and then we've got some sophomores who were contributors for us last year. It's really exciting that they're sophomores now and they know the 6-kilometer distance and they know what to expect."

The Saints, who have qualified for the NCAA Championship in each of the last eight seasons, will be looking to reclaim the Liberty League title on Oct. 29 after finishing second to Rensselaer in 2015 by just five points. The second-place finish marked the first time St. Lawrence didn't win the league crown since 2001, back when the conference was called the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association.

"The conference as a whole is very good, which is a good thing," said Curran. "You want the other teams in the conference push you to be your best."

Two weeks after the Liberty League Championship, the Saints will compete for a spot at the NCAA Championship at the NCAA Atlantic Regional on Nov. 12. While the team will get a preview of the course at the pre-regional meet being hosted by Rowan on Oct. 15, Curran says that this year's trip to Lehigh for the Paul Short Run on Oct. 1 will help the team prepare for what she hopes is another return trip to nationals.

"There are several hundred other runners, D-I, D-II and D-III, in the race," said Curran. "At any point in time you can be having the best race of your life and you've got a pack of 10, 15, 20 runners right around you. That's the way nationals is."

The Saints will open the season on Sept. 3 with the Cardinal Classic at SUNY Plattsburgh, but will first host the 10th Annual Run 4 Ryan on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m.