Ray Treacy's (Villierstown, Co. Waterford) Providence College women's team has finished 10th or better as a team in 15 of 16 trips to the NCAA Cross Country Championships since 1989, including each of its last six appearances. The Friars won the NCAA crown in 1995 and placed 3rd in last year's event. The team has finished out the top-10 just once in program history (1998, 14th). PC has finished fifth place or better at the NCAA Championship six times since 1989.

Providence is ranked #7 in the Finish Lynx NCAA Division I Women's Cross Country Poll issued on 8th September.

Despite the loss of five of the top seven runners the women's team including Mary Cullen (Co Sligo) and Deirdre Byrne (Co Wicklow), Treacy believes that if his team stays healthy and makes progress throughout the season, it will extend its streak of consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA's.

One thing that will be missing from the PC women's team this season is an Irish presence. Treacy commented, "There will be no Irish woman on the roster for the first time since I started coaching in '85."

As opposed to rebuilding his team, Treacy has reloaded. The Friars will be led by Graduate student Aine Hoban (Wakefield, England), who will begin her first season with the Friars, is expected to make an impact on the team. Hoban has experience at the international level as she competed in the 2003 junior races of the World Cross Country Championships and the European Cross Country Championships. The 21-year-old also boasts a 5,000-metre track personal best of 16.17.30.

The top returning runner is Senior All-American Fiona Crombie (Christchurch, New Zealand) who finished 53rd at the 2003 NCAA Cross Country Championships and placed 10th at the NCAA's in 2004 to earn All-America honours.

Junior Meghan Owen (Danielson, Connecticut), a transfer from North Carolina, also will bring experience to the team. Owen has competed in two NCAA Cross Country Championships, including a 114th-place finish in 2004. She also finished 24th at the ACC Championships and 30th at the Pre-Nationals.

Treacy will look to his younger athletes to step up and establish themselves among the top seven on the team. Michelle Childs (Cameron, Ontario, Canada) and Mary Nelle Trefz (Iowa City, Iowa) will be expected to continue to improve following their freshman seasons.

First year runners, Kate Campbell (Auckland, New Zealand), Katie DiCamillo (Garden City, New York) and Sarah Morgan (Waikato, New Zealand) also will vie for one of the top seven spots on the team.

The 2005 men's cross country team will be without three of its top runners from last season's squad that qualified for the NCAA Championships for 10th consecutive season. Even though the team lost key components, 22nd-year Head Coach Ray Treacy, believes that this season's team has the nucleus to be another solid squad.

Providence is ranked 24 in the Mondo NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Poll issued on 13th September.

Treacy always seems to find a way to qualify for the championships and this year should be no different but definitely more challenging than in the recent past where he had a great deal of experience and depth on the squad. Treacy talked about his men's team, "It's hard to figure how we are going to be until things get rolling. The guys will be a little thin in numbers but I think we have the quality to be okay. Martin will be a great leader." Liam Reale also looks to make an impact in cross country this season as well.

Senior Martin Fagan from Mullingar looks to be ready to make a big step and lead the Friars back to the NCAA's for the 27th time in school's history. Fagan had a strong 2004-05 season. During the cross country season, he was PC's top runner, finishing in the top 10 in four of his six meets. He was PC's highest finisher at the NCAA's (33rd) and at the Big East Championships (fourth). He also captured the New England Championships and led the Friars to their 24th New England title.

Fagan won is first individual Irish Championship in July when he won the 5,000m title in a tactical 14.11.44. Martin Fagan also finished fourth in the 5,000m (14.16.28) and fifth in the 10,000m (29.39.20) at the 2005 European Athletics U-23 Championships in Erfurt, Germany in July.

Liam Reale (Hospital, Co. Limerick), a track specialist also looks to make an impact in cross country this season as well.

Another Irish runner joins the team this, Dubliner Richard Yeates who has 10k PB of 30.59.02. The Raheny Shamrock lad competed in the 2005 European Junior Championships where he placed 9th in 10,000m in a time of 32.01.64