New York, N.Y.— After a grueling past couple of months that has seen them compete at some of the toughest courses the sport has to offer, the John Jay men’s and women’s cross country teams are ready to put their best foot forward as they prepare to go headlong into the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) cross country championships at Van Cortlandt Park this Sunday.
The women’s race is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. followed by the men’s race at 10:30 a.m.
After winning the conference’s top prize in 2006 and 2007, the men’s team is looking to win for the third time in four seasons, while the women’s team will be looking to capture the gold for the first time since the 1991 season.
“As long as the men’s team stays healthy leading into the race, we should do very well on Sunday,” said fourth year head coach
Tony Phillips. “The women’s team is also shaping up well. I think as long as we work hard and run to the best of our ability, it should be a great day for us on Sunday.”
Through seven meets this season, the Bloodhounds have been outstanding. As a team they have finished second three times this season with all three races at the same site of this Sunday’s championship. John Jay finished second of 10 at the Queensboro Community College Invitational (9/20) and Brooklyn College Invitational (10/11). The Bloodhounds were second of 15, and first amongst the Division I schools, at the College of Staten Island Invitational (10/4) to set the stage in what could be an epic day for the men’s cross country program.
Three different runners have been top finishers for the team this season. Second year runners
Mikey Babayev (Moscow, Russia, Forest Hills) and
Jessie Contrera (New York, NY, Newark Tech)have been the top finisher three times each this season, while first year star
Jemal Ninua (Republic of Georgia, James Madison) has been a first place scorer for John Jay.
Babayev was first for John Jay at the Vassar College Invitational (9/5), Stevens Institute of Technology Invitational (9/25) and Western New England Invitational (10/17), while Contrera was John Jay’s fastest to the finish line at the Baruch Invitational (9/13), Queensboro Community College Invitational and College of Staten Island Invitational. Ninua was the first Bloodhound at the Brooklyn College Invitational.
Ninua has also piled up numerous awards as he was named the CUNYAC Rookie of the Week four weeks in a row, including week endings Sept. 20, Sept. 27, Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.
In addition, adding to John Jay’s powerful hand includes
Antonio Aguilar (Bronx, NY, Teaching and the Professions),
Mark Benjamin (Syracuse, NY, Corcoran),
Robbie Ferro (Port Washington, NY, Schriber),
Gabriel Rodriguez (Brooklyn, NY, Fort Hamilton) and
Jaime Valentin (Bronx, NY, Freedom).
On the women’s side of things, the Bloodhounds, who have competed in the same invitationals as the men, have finished as high as fifth when they were fifth of nine at the Brooklyn College Invitational.
Third year runner
Anna Garlinska (Ozone Park, NY, Christ the King)has been John Jay’s top finisher in five of seven races this season including the Vassar Invitational, Baruch Invitational, Stevens Institute of Technology Invitational, College of Staten Island Invitational and Western New England Invitational, while second year runner
Crystal Ferguson (Brooklyn, NY, Greater New York Academy) was John Jay’s top finisher at the Queensboro Community College Invitational and Brooklyn College Invitational.
Others expected to compete for John Jay this Sunday include
Julia Gilgurd (Riga, Lativa, New Dorp) Baljit Kahlon (Queens Village, NY, Bryant),
Anastasia Leshchinskaya (Redding, CT), Jessica Padilla and
Jessica Toro (Manhasset, NY, Manhasset).
The women’s race is scheduled for six kilometers, while the men will run eight kilometers.
To view the season statistics for the cross country teams, please
CLICK HERE