Related Links

• Marya Haegler Interview
• Coach Mike De Witt Interview
• Women's Race Video
• Men's Race Video

Marya Haegler placed third overall at the Early Bird Invitational with a time of 18:34 over the 5000m course.

The Ave Maria University Cross Country Men's and Women's Teams opened their respective seasons on Friday afternoon at the University of Tampa Early Bird Open held on the Dover Trails in Brandon, Florida.

In the women’s meet, Marya Haegler led a squad of five AMU Women, that were all running their first ever collegiate race. Haegler achieved a 3rd place individual finish. AMU head coach Mike De Witt commented on Heagler; "Marya Haegler made a very good impression in her first collegiate race, she stayed off of the early pace, coming through the 2500m mark in 8th place and was able to challenge the front group to the finish line." Her time of 18:34 over the rolling 5000m course placed her behind defending Sun Conference Champion and 2009 NAIA All American Juline Brice of Webber International (18:32) who placed 2nd in the race, but was the first collegiate finisher. Sara Petrick, a post-collegiate athlete, won the event with a time of 18:13. Lauren Dunleavy placed 27th overall (22nd college runner) in 22:00, Alexis Percy was 32nd (27th college runner) in 22:26, Maria Miller was 71st (62nd college runner) in 30:01, and Elise Harms was 73rd (64th college runner) in 31:08. There were a total of 84 finishers in the event.

Host University of Tampa won the meet with 34 points. Florida Tech was 2nd with 78 points, and Embry-Riddle finished 3rd with 87.  The AMU team placed 6th with 150 points. There were 9 teams in the meet.

In the men’s meet, Taylor Peliska was the leader for AMU. He finished 43rd overall (30th collegiate) with a time of 25:28 for the 4.2 mile race. The overall winner of the race was Tony Nicolosi of the University of Tampa with a time of 22:22.

Jarrid Thelen finished 76th overall (59th collegiate runner) in 28:39, Charlie Sercer was 79th (62nd collegiate runner) in 28:46. Sean Scanlan was 84th (66th collegiate) in 30:30. Brian Stine was 92nd (73rd collegiate) in 33:56, and Geno Finn was 93rd (74th collegiate) in 35:20. 

The AMU men finished the meet in 8th place with 215 points. The University of Tampa led all teams at the meet with 35 points. Embry-Riddle followed with 47, while Forida Tech finished third with 80. There were a total of 10 participating teams and 94 finishers.

Coach De Witt summarized the meet stating, "It was a very good first meet for the program. The teams were energized and did a very nice job of staying within themselves for the first race. The teams at this meet were very excited to see AMU Cross Country and made us feel welcome. It was a fun meet. We have only been together for seven days as a team and this meet gives us a feel for where we are at and what we might be capable of doing over the next two months."

Scroll down to view standings of the Early Bird Invitational. AMU's next meet will take place September 18th in Gainesville, Florida at the University of Florida's Mountain Dew Invitational. The race is set for a 6:30 p.m. start.

WOMENS TEAM STANDINGS

1.  University of Tampa 34

2.  Florida Institute of Technology 78

3.  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 87 

4.  Webber International University 105

5.  St. Leo University 113

6.  Ave Maria University 150

7.  Pasco-Herndo 153

8.  Florida College 232

AMU WOMEN RESULTS 

2.   Haegler 18:35

22. Dunleavy 22:00

27. Percy 22:26 

71. Miller 30:01

73. Harms 31:03


MEN’S TEAM STANDINGS 

1.  University of Tampa 35 

2.  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 47 

3.  Florida Institute of Technology 80

4.  St. Leo University 110  

5.  Webber International University 119

6.  Warner University 181

7.  Florida College 204 

8.  Ave Maria University 215

AMU MEN RESULTS

30.   Peliska 25:28

59.   Thelen 28:39 

62.   Sercer 28:46

66.   Scanlan 30:30

73.   Stine 33:56