First-Year Runners Leading the Cross Country Program Into 2023 Season

Delaware Tech’s men’s and women’s cross country teams enter the 2023 season with a common thread among all of the runners – they are all in the first year.

“We’ve started our preseason in-person practices,” Head Coach Mike O’Brian said. “Yet there’s still a good amount of season logistics and scheduling to iron out.

“Getting our first-year runners up to speed on training schedules and other commitments of being an athlete is always a rush, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how they are taking in stride the demands and challenges of a collegiate running program.”

The 2022 season was another in a long line of successful seasons for the overall cross country program. Every member of the 2022 team qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national meet by placing in the Top 7 of the NJCAA Region 19 Championship meet. Sophomores Joe Volk and Kaitlyn Cavallucci also were individual Region 19 champions, and Cavallucci set a new women’s team course record at White Clay Creek State Park.

“Our primary goal is to compete well enough at our regional race in late October to qualify us for the NJCAA national championship meet in mid-November, this year in Huntsville, Ala.,” O’Brian said. “As always, we strive to succeed not only on the course, but more importantly in the classroom.

“Here in the beginning of the season, especially with the first-year athletes, there is so much to adjust to, not just a new cross country program. Our job as an athletics department early on is to assist in the transition from a high school/summer to college to create a confident and well-rounded student-athlete.”

This year’s men’s team includes Brayden Fosty (Newark), Luke Morrow (Hodgson Vo-Tech), Ben Stulir (Smyrna), Paul Urbaniak (Newark), Tim Hammack (Caesar Rodney), Liam Dennehy (Milford) and Matthew Bitler (Appoquinimink). The year’s women’s team includes Hannah Lensico (Penn Foster) and Ruby Champney (Padua Academy).

“Each student-athlete is different,” O’Brian said. “Especially with all of them being first-year college students. With specific areas of study, different campuses for classes, varying fitness levels, and potential employment schedules, we look at the needs each student-athlete to create a cross country program playing up specific strengths and building up the weaknesses.

“Once the coaching staff feels the team has settled into their class schedules in September, we’ll ramp up our expectations and discuss individual and team goals for the championship portion of our season in late October and into November.”

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PHOTO:
This year’s men’s and women’s cross country team: from left, Paul Urbaniak, Tim Hammack, Hannah Lensico, Brayden Fosty, Ben Stulir, Luke Morrow, and Matthew Bitler.

Not pictured: Liam Dennehy and Ruby Champney. The 2023 cross country season starts with the Salisbury University Fall Classic on Sept. 2 in Salisbury, Md.