Cross Country Kicks Off Year at Father Bede CC Invitational
The PSUGA Cross Country returns after a one year hiatus when they head to the Father Bede CC Invitaitonal tomorrow at 2 p.m. Max Shugerman leads the way in his PSUGA debut as they prepare for the PSUAC Championships.
McKeesport, PA. – The Penn State Greater Allegheny Cross Country team kicks off the 2019 season when they travel to Loretto, Pa. on Friday to take part in the Father Bede CC Invitational at 2 p.m. It will be the first time PSUGA Cross Country has competed since November 10th, 2017 and they are anxious to get back out on the course.
Leading the way for this year’s team is junior Max Shugerman (Turtle Creek, PA./Woodland Hills HS), a transfer from NCAA Division II Florida Tech. Shugerman brings a wealth of experience to this year’s team after being one of just six Florida Tech runners to compete in the NCAA South Regional Championships, where he finished with a time of 38:27.15. in the 8K race.
During his sophomore season, Shugerman averaged a time of 32:50.99 across the four meets that he ran during the season. His best time of the year came at the Disney Classic where he placed 87th out of 140 runners with a time of 30:28.20. Shugerman looks to continue to improve under PSUGA head coach Greg Schmitt and help put PSUGA Cross Country back on the map in the Penn State University Athletic Conference.
Joining Shugerman, are a pair of PSUGA veterans in junior Eladia Kennedy (Pittsburgh, PA./Imani Christian Academy) and sophomore James Plez (Philadelphia, PA./Northeast HS). Both competed in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships for Track & Field last season and both brought home medals for the program.
Kennedy was named the school’s first-ever USCAA National Champion taking home the gold in the 100-Meter Dash with a time of 14.02 seconds and, would add to her total later in the day taking home bronze in the 200-Meter Dash. Plez competed in four different events at the championship and took home the silver medal as the third leg of the Men’s 4X400 Meter relay.
The Father Bede CC Invitational will be held at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA. PSUGA will be competing with athletes across all levels of NCAA Division II and III giving them a good measurement of how they stack up against the PSUAC. With only four meets between now and the PSUAC Championships on October 26th, every meet counts as PSUGA looks to have a national qualifier this season.
The Father Bede CC Invitational is a 6.6K course with the meet scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. The race will be held at the Saint Francis University campus located in Lorretto, PA.