By Pat Tintle
Staff Writer
With one race left in the season, the Bonnies have seen their shares of ups and downs this season. However, according to Head Coach Bob Macfarlane, the team has made some impressive strides from where they were a year ago.
“Progressively, we’ve gotten better,” Macfarlane said. “All the girls who ran this year, seven out of seven, had their personal best at this year’s A-10s, and same with the guys. Seven out of 10 set their personal record last week. When it’s the most important meet of the season, they all stepped up to the plate. That’s all I can ask for as a coach.”
Despite an improvement in times and personal records, the Bonnies men’s and women’s teams finished 13th and 11th respectively, out of 13 competing schools.
“On the women’s side, we beat two teams,” Macfarlane said. “That’s the best they ever did. If we were healthy, I feel things would have finished a little bit differently.”
Two of the women’s top five runners did not participate due to injuries.
The men’s 13th-place finish did not go without some positive aspects, according to Macfarlane.
“You can’t take blood out of tournaments,” Macfarlane said. “The men did their best, and that’s reflected in their times. We are progressing, but at the same time we’re at a crossroads right now in both programs. We need more support financially to get more runners. I hate to put it that way because the kids we have give everything they can possibly give.”
More financial support leads to better scouting for new runners. According to Macfarlane, the program has been trying for a long time, however.
The A-10s, however, saw big victories for sophomore Joe Ferencik and junior Nick Masiello, as they both beat the 8K record in Virginia.
Masiello, who suffered a stress fracture in his sophomore year, has been chasing this record his entire college career, according to Macfarlane.
“He’s a hard worker,” Macfarlane said. “He doesn’t give up, and this year he came back, and it all came together for him this last meet. He’s a grinder.”
Macfarlane said he believes there is a lot more to see out of Ferencik in the next two years.
“He’s very athletic,” Macfarlane said. “I feel there’s more left in that tank. He’s finally catching on to the system and understanding what he needs to do to get better. Down the road, I can see both Nick and Joe getting the low 25’s.”
The two runners have also had a big influence on the rest of the team, according to junior Dan Egan.
“Both Joe and Nick are fantastic teammates as well as hard workers,” Egan said. “Nick has been chasing that record for a very long time, and I know the whole team is happy to see him get it. Both guys work very hard, which encourages the rest of the team to follow their example.”
The Bonnies’ final match will take the team to the Bronx to compete in the NCAA Northeast Regionals in Van Cortlandt Park.
“I really believe both the girls and boys can beat some teams,” Macfarlane said. “We’ve got to get out of the basement of the A-10. The girls have and the boys are close.”
