September 4, 2002

GENEVA, N.Y. – The William Smith College harriers have returned to campus prepared to improve on their times from the 2001 season. The team will face challenges in 2002, but everyone is excited to begin a new year.

William Smith Head Coach Jack Warner, in his eighth season with the Herons, has a difficult task ahead of him as he lost three seniors to graduation along with his top runner in Amy Young (Hugh C. Williams/Canton, N.Y.). Young, who finished 76th at the NCAA Championships in 2001 has decided to pursue other interests during her final year at William Smith. The top harriers returning for Warner are sophomores, Jennifer Davenport (Ray Bodley/Fulton, N.Y.), Breanna Greene (Hugh C.Williams/Canton, N.Y.), Molly Rider (Concord/Concord, N.H.), and Katie LaDuca (Mt. Mercy Academy/Hamburg, N.Y.).

Davenport and Greene improved their times throughout the 2001 season, with season-bests of 20:40 and 21:27, respectively, coming in the Heron Invitational. Rider is poised to step up in the absence of Young after the 2001 season saw her finish in the top 25 six times, and a 58th place finish out of 205 competitors at the NCAA Regional Championships. LaDuca comes into 2002 looking to return to her 2000 form when she ran a season-best 20:51. She was hampered by an injury during much of 2001.

The lone senior on the team, Carolyn Suss (Horseheads/Pine Valley, N.Y.), returns for the Herons after running her first year. She turned in a season-low time of 20:58 as a rookie, and despite the two-year hiatus, Suss will be an important asset to William Smith’s success. Joining this group of runners will be a talented group of first-years who will push the times of the veteran harriers.

The Herons open their season on Sept. 7 at noon, at the Buffalo State Invitational.

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