January 31, 2014
Women’s cross country ‘mini-meet’ paves way to NCAA title
By Charles C. Joyce
It wasn’t until the sixth race of the season, a “mini meet” that was just a 3-kilometer competition, that Ray Treacy ’82 thought that his Providence College women’s cross country team had the strength to contend for the national championship.
That race, at Central Connecticut State University, was the first time his injury-prone co-captain, Grace Thek ’14 (Melbourne, Australia), ran all season. The veteran placed second.
A month later, Thek was the team’s fifth and final scorer in helping the Friars seal the 2013 NCAA Championship — their first since 1995. The team remains the only varsity PC program to win a national crown.
Taking on some of the biggest schools in the nation, PC placed its first five runners in the top 76 spots and scored 141 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Arizona (197), as well as Butler (200), Michigan (215), and Georgetown (226).
The Friars, ranked No. 1 nationally most of the season after finishing as the NCAA runnerup in 2012, had entered the meet with momentum. They won the BIG EAST Conference and NCAA Northeast Regional championships before beating 30 other schools for the NCAA crown in Terre Haute, Ind., on November 23.
The fact the 6K race was run in windy, cold conditions on a muddy and slippery course made the victory that much more meaningful.
“It’s hard to get my head around. It’s surreal. These championships are tough to get,” said Treacy, noting the Friars went up against schools with substantially bigger programs and budgets. Most gratifying to Treacy was the fact PC placed in the top 10 for the 19th time in 25 years.
Thek, who improved by 91 places on her 2012 NCAA meet performance, said it was “amazing” to win the national title and that she couldn’t be happier for her teammates and Treacy, who’s coached the program since 1985.
“The win was a result of all the hard work and dedication we have all put in throughout the season and our time at PC,” said Thek. She added, “While we were ranked high throughout the season, we didn’t let the pressure get to us. I think, as a team, we just tried to enjoy the season and do our best in every race.”
The Friars were led by the same three runners who sparked them in the 2012 NCAA title race. Claiming All-America honors for the second consecutive year were Emily Sisson ’14 (Chesterfield, Mo.), Laura Nagel ’14 (Napier New Zealand,), and Sarah Mary Collins ’16 (Basel, Switzerland). They finished seventh, 27th, and 39th, respectively.
The fourth Friar, taking 60th, was Catarina Rocha ’17 (Peabody, Mass.), whom Treacy said is the finest freshman he’s coached. Thek was next , placing 76th, and rounding out the finishers in 224th place was Molly Keating ’16 (Rehoboth, Mass.).
“It was great to see for the women and Ray,” said Kevin Myles, who has served as the women’s and men’s assistant coach the last four years. “To watch the process from start to finish this season … I feel so fortunate to be a part of that.”
PC won by staying healthy, executing its pre-race strategy, and running a team-oriented race, pointed out Treacy, whose men’s team took 16th in the NCAA Championship the same day.
“It can be difficult to manage three All-Americans who want to be number one on the team, but they didn’t put their individual goals before the team goals,” said Treacy, referring to Sisson, Nagel, and Collins.
In addition to having five healthy runners, there are several other variables that lead to a premier NCAA performance, pointed out Treacy. The development of a championship-caliber program depends on the ability to recruit talented student-athletes and then to provide “all a runner needs.” At PC, that support includes exceptional sports medicine facilities and care, and the opportunity to perform in major national meets leading up to the NCAAs, he said.
This past fall, the College took another major step toward sustaining the Friars’ nationally prominent cross country and track programs by installing the school’s first outdoor track — appropriately named for Treacy. The track will eliminate travel time to practice sites off campus, increase the quality and efficiency of training, and allow student-athletes to lead a more balanced life academically, athletically, and socially, said Treacy.
While both NCAA championships are special, Treacy said the 2013 crown is more satisfying because he has come to realize how difficult it is to win a national title.
“To get a second one legitimizes the program and speaks to our consistency. It’s very special,” he said.
