Men's Cross Country Ready For 2004 Campaign
Aug. 24, 2004
Coral Gables, Fla. (hurricanesports.com) – With eight runners returning, including junior standout Alex Brutvan (Boca Raton, FL), and five promising newcomers on-board, the men’s cross country team is looking forward to a successful 2004 season. Led by head coach Mike Ward, this year’s squad has gained the valuable experience necessary to compete at the highest levels.
Brutvan returns after a very successful 2003 campaign. He was the Hurricanes top finisher in all seven events including victories at the FIU Invitational and Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish Invitational. He placed 35th overall in the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships and 55th in the NCAA South Region Cross Country Championships.
Brutvan spent this summer recovering from injuries he sustained towards the end of last season but Coach Ward believes he will be ready to go once the season starts.
“If Alex can stay healthy this season, he should be able to improve upon his times from last year,” says Ward. “Alex and James Mullaly are the captains this season and I expect the two of them to help lead our young, developing team.”
Along with Brutvan and junior Mullaly (Ellicott City, MD), the Hurricanes return sophomores Tom Berry (Stamford, CT) and Zach Castiglione (Brighton, MI), and William Bludgus (Bayonne, NJ) the team’s lone senior.
Berry was the Hurricanes second best finisher in all seven events last season, including second-place overall finishes at the FIU Invitational and the PBA Sailfish Invitational, as well as a top-55 finish at the BIG EAST Championships. Castiglione was a consistent performer for the Hurricanes scoring in five of seven events. He recorded two top-10 overall finishes, as well as a 65th-place finish at the BIG EAST Championships.
“With a year’s experience under his belt, Berry should be able to challenge Brutvan for the top finisher on the team this season,” added Ward. “He has worked hard this summer and I expect fast times from him. Both Zach and William should also be competitive this season and be able to improve their times”
To complement the experienced veterans, Ward has added a talented group of freshmen to the mix including Richard Bernard (Charlotte, NC), Patrick Ryan (Howell, NJ), Matt Clemente (Naples, FL), Alex Paley (Albany, NY) and Joey Harper (Tallahassee, FL).
With the move to the ACC this season, Coach Ward expects the competition to increase.
“The ACC is very similar to the BIG EAST in terms of the types of teams we will be competing against,” says Ward. “The only difference is that ACC teams tend to have more depth. We will have to make sure our four and five runners are up to the task.”
The Hurricanes open the season Saturday, September 4 in West Palm Beach, FL at the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish Invitational.
