PITTSBURGH – The Duquesne University cross country teams will begin their 2024 season on Saturday at Saint Francis' Father Bede Invitational.
MEET INFORMATION
SFU Father Bede Invitational • B&D Acres • Tyrone, PA
Saturday, August 31 • Women's 4k at 10:00 a.m. • Men's 6k at 10:45 a.m.
ROSTER OVERVIEW
Head coach Jeff Gibson returns for his fourth season at the helm of the program. The women's team will have 15 returners and seven freshmen, while the men's team brings back 12 runners and welcomes seven freshmen and one transfer.
WOMEN'S TEAM PREVIEW
All five scorers from the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and Atlantic 10 Championship return from last season headlined by senior Haley Hamilton, who led the team in all six meets she raced in last season including both championship meets.
"We have the majority of our kids back from a good year last year, plus we've added a group of incoming freshmen that I think are going to help us," said Gibson.
Hamilton, Ryley Schwalm, Liv Wilson, Addy Ciecierski and Brooke Krally all finished 2024 with personal bests at the NCAA regional race and Kate Saum added a PR in the A-10 Championships. All six are back on the roster this fall and are mixed with talented newcomers and other returners who have steadily improved over the offseason.
Delaney Line and Mara Whalen each ran in the A-10 Championships last season and are back for their senior campaigns. Gina Bolla, Maggie Danzer, and Sophia Trevenen round out the junior class.
Cydney Blahovec, who earned an A-10 Rookie of the Week honor last year, returns for her sophomore season alongside Emma Andreen, Reagan Ryen and Audrey Wrabley.
Ava Brewster, Lily Colombo, Anna Duncan, Lexi Fluharty, Sarah Hansen, Morgan Roemer and Grace Senneway represent the freshman class. All but Hansen (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) are from Pennsylvania and four are locals that competed in the WPIAL (Brewster, Colombo, Fluharty and Senneway).
"This is as deep a roster as we've had since I've been here," said Gibson. "From top to bottom this is probably the deepest roster in a long time."
MEN'S TEAM PREVIEW
Duquesne will project a young roster that has the opportunity for multiple athletes to step up and fill the void after losing two of the five runners that scored at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional a year ago, including the graduation of all-conference runner Zack Toth.
"The returners have worked hard over the summer, hopefully that will help us turn the corner, and we brought in some pretty good freshmen," said Coach Gibson.
Casey Padgett (senior), Cameron Bogdan (sophomore) and Nathaniel Woshner (junior) are returning scorers from both the NCAA regional and Atlantic 10 Championships last season. Junior Ben Colli rounded out the A-10 scorers last season with a personal best.
Juniors Sam de la Riva and Evan Castlevetere along with sophomore Jonah Nizami return with A-10 Championship experience.
Jack Barnhisel, Holden Eagle and Jadon Rahman round out the junior class. Maxwell Hamilton and Joseph Wigginton complete the returning sophomores, while Mason Stewart arrives on the Bluff after spending one season at Chaminade. Stewart won two meets and led the Silverswords in four meets in 2023.
The freshman class features Jacob Bonnar, Anthony Ciecierski, Sam Freedman, Gio Mastromonaco, Ben Shields, Josh Wagner and Ethan Warner.
2024 SCHEDULE
Up next after the opener, Duquesne will get a regional course preview at Penn State's Spiked Shoe Invitational on September 13.
Local meets include the RMU Invitational (Sept. 14) and Carnegie Mellon Invitational (Oct. 12).
The Louisville Classic (Oct. 5) and Panorama Farms Invitational, hosted by Virginia, (Oct. 19) round out the regular season.
The Atlantic 10 Championship will be hosted by Richmond at Pole Green Park on Nov. 2, then the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional will be at Penn State's Blue & White Courses on Nov. 15.
A return trip to Saint Francis for the Red Flash Rally on Nov. 9 will middle the championship meets.
FOLLOW THE DUKES
Follow Duquesne Cross Country all season online at GoDuquesne.com, as well as on X (Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook (@DuqXCTF).
