Ephmen Seek 4th Straight NESCAC Title

Williamstown, MA--After notching their 22nd consecutive Little Three Championship last week, the Ephmen look to keep another streak alive as they head to Manchester, CT to do battle with the ten other colleges of the NESCAC conference. Trinity College hosts this year's rendition of the annual NESCAC Championships, where the Ephs have emerged victorious three times in as many years.

Last year's performance on Bates' home course was nothing short of dominating. The Ephs placed five runners in the top 17 and scored only 44 points. Trinity was second last year with 85. Edgar Kosgey and Jeff Perlis, both seniors this year, finished 2nd and 5th, respectively. Gone are two of the top five harriers from last year's squad, but the Eph's superior depth means that they are the favorite again this year. Williams is ranked first for all Division III New England schools; Amherst (ranked 3rd in New England) and Bowdoin (5th), should provide formidable competition. As any athlete or coach will tell you, however, rankings are nothing more than numbers on a sheet of paper. The race is run on grassy hills and winding trails, not paper.

The Ephs have prepared for this year's championships with a tough training regimen, but one that leaves ample opportunity for recovery. Tuesday's difficult interval workout, run at race pace or faster, was followed by an easier distance run on Wednesday. "I feel as though I'm getting stronger as the year goes on," remarked sophomore David Carlin, one of the Ephs slated to compete this weekend. "I'm loooking forward to seeing what the team can do this weekend with all the excitement of a championship meet."

The men will race the 8k distance this weekend, with the race scheduled to start at 1:00 PM. With twelve official runners and many more traveling to Manchester to cheer their teammates on, the Ephs figure to have a very strong contingent this weekend. The NESCAC Championships are a great opportunity to see what this team can do.