The Big East is the largest and most diverse Division I conference in the country,… The Big East is the largest and most diverse Division I conference in the country, representing the athletic interests of 16 member institutions. On Friday, those 16 institutions will send their cross country teams to Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, N.Y., to represent them at the 2005 conference championships.

Consistently one of the top cross country and track and field conferences, the Big East Cross Country Championship will feature several of the nation’s top teams and individual performers. Five women’s teams have been ranked nationally at some point throughout the 2005 season: Notre Dame, Providence, Villanova, Marquette and Georgetown. Four of the men’s teams – Notre Dame, Georgetown, Providence and Villanova – have been ranked as well.

Among the top female runners in the conference in 2005 are four women who finished in the top 15 in last years’ championship race: Stephanie Madia and Molly Huddle of Notre Dame, Fiona Crombie of Providence and Marina Muncan of Villanova. Any one of these women could be the new Big East Champion.

The Pitt women will be lead by senior Nicki Angstadt, who has been their number one runner all season.

“The leadership role is a new one for me. I just try to lead by example and provide guidance for the girls,” Angstadt said.

Despite being in the midst of a breakout season, Angstadt says she has not achieved anything yet.

“I have not done what I have wanted to accomplish yet, but I always start out slow and get better as the season progresses,” she said. “If I run as I’m capable, I should finish in the top25.”

The 2004 women’s championships saw Providence, Notre Dame and Villanova take the top three spots (in that order). Pitt came in 7th place out of 12 teams, a place Angstadt feels the women should repeat despite the expansion of the conference to 16 teams.

“The Big East is a very tough conference, but I think we should be able to equal what we did last year.”

The 2004 men’s champions were the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, followed closely by Georgetown and Providence. The Pitt men, like the women, finished in 7th. According to the prediction of junior Tim Konoval, there may not be any difference between the 2004 and 2005 championship results.

“Teamwise, Notre Dame will be on top, followed closely by Georgetown and Providence,” he said.

The Pitt men had high expectations going into the season, but multiple injuries have severely impaired their chances at the championship, as Konoval describes.

“We came out real strong, but then had a couple of setbacks with injuries and other problems. If all the boys step it up, we can finish in the middle pack as a team. I would like to say we can do better than that, but with the absence of Eric Fleming and Andy Tomaswick, our number three and four guys, we don’t have the depth that a Division I school needs to be on top in the Big East. But we will battle.”

Top male runner Sam Bair echoed his teammate’s comments.

“We have a lot of guys hurt who would have made a big difference, but people like Mike [Long] and Steve [Gonzalez] have stepped it up so we really should be in the top 10.”

The top male threats in the Big East are Kurt Benninger and Tim Moore of Notre Dame (sixth and seventh places, respectively, at the 2004 championships) and Martin Fagan of Providence (fourth-place finisher in 2004). The three will headline the list of those who will vie to capture first-place honors, including Pitt’s Bair.

“As long as I run like I’m capable, I should be in the top five or eight,” Bair said. “I don’t feel like I have peaked yet this season either. I’d like to have that happen now or at Regionals, but it’s nothing you can plan.”

Konoval, Pitt’s number two runner, although not quite as optimistic as Bair, was still confident in his chances.

“I would love to be All-Big East, which is top 14, but I have been having some minor problems in my last couple races with stomach strains,” he said. “I am now ready to step up my game and turn heads in the process.”

Both the men and women have a collective advantage heading into the meet because of their familiarity with the course. The teams ran the same route at the Sept. 24 Iona Meet of Champions. They also have history on their side – the top time ever recorded at Van Cortlandt Park belongs to Keith Dowling, a former Pitt runner who ran the course in 24:11 minutes in 1990.

“It’s a tricky course, so it is definitely an advantage to have run it before, particularly for the underclassmen,” said Angstadt.

Although she admits that the numerous injuries are beginning to wear on the team mentally, Angstadt believes the season can still be salvaged.

“We haven’t put it all together yet,” she said. “When some people have been on, the others weren’t. Luckily, we still have the two most important meets of the season ahead of us. We just need to put it all together and run to our potential.”