Bloomsburg Cross Country Teams Ranks Nationally

BLOOMSBURG —The Bloomsburg University men's and women's cross country teams are ranked in the pre-season NCAA D-II Cross Country Coaches Association poll. The women's team is ranked 17th and the men 25th out of 250 Division II schools across the nation. The team's are also ranked in the NCAA East Regional poll with the women second and the men fourth.

Both squads are returning NCAA 2004 All-Region cross country athletes, sophomore Amber Hackenberg who was 10th last year, while junior Justin Shepherd eighth, and senior Mike Espinosa who was ninth.

Bloomsburg's cross country teams opened their 2005 season at the Bison Open at Bucknell University. In the men's 3K, Shepherd took third in 15:08, while sophomore Dave Sanford placed 13th in 15:31.

For the women's team freshman Ashley Shuck was the top finisher for Huskies taking sixth in 18:49, while Hackenberg finished 10th in 18:56 followed by Mary Bacher 12th in 19:07, Shannon Hoffman 13th in 19:09 and Bethany Schwing 14th in 19:10.

The Huskies will race this Saturday at the Lock Haven Invitational.