Every picture tells a story, don't it?
Four Arkansas runners can be seen in this photo from the final stretch.
photo by Patrick O'Dowd
Four coaches from three Provinces found themselves at the NCAA CrossCountry Championships in four distinct stages in their chosen profession.
Ray Treacy from Waterford arrived in Ames with Keith Kelly a legitimate pre-race favourite and has a team ranked fourth with a shot at the team title. In his last visit to the Iowa State cross country course, Treacy left with a women's team championship and Mark Carroll placed second overall in the men's race. Unlike McDonnell who has no Irishman running on his NCAA squad, four of Treacy's top seven are from Ireland. Treacy announced, "We came in ranked fourth and I would be pleased with third or fourth. On the women's side, Treacy's team was devastated by the early season loss of their #1 runner, Heather Cappello but have still managed a #19 ranking. Dubliner, Mick Bryne brought his team to cross country nationals for four consecutive seasons has arrived on the scene and with another top 10 finish will be firmly ensconced as a perennial power. Three of top seven are Irish led by front runner Vinney Mulvey. Byrne said before the race, "We were ninth last and our goal is to better that." The fourth and final member of the coaching fraternity is Marcus O'Sullivan. The Cork runner is the stuff of folklore on both sides of the pond. His career at Villanova was marked by two first place finishes in the indoor mile and as a Leevale runner he's worn the green vest of Ireland in four Olympiads. In his coaching debut in the fall of 1998, O'Sullivan's women garnered the team title at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. But the humble O'Sullivan with the perpetual smile will be the first to admit he inherited that team and his real job that season was just not to muss things up. Furthermore, the modest coach credits Gina Procaccio with that title. The Villanova mystique has waned considerable and O'Sullivan's team is comprised of relative unknowns. The Wildcats came to the NCAA meet barely ranked in top 20. In the team standings, John McDonnell's Arkansas Razorbacks won their eleventh NCAA Cross Country team championship and it marks McDonnell's 36th team title in cross country, indoor and outdoor track! John Treacy's Providence Friars not only took the individual title with Keith Kelly's win but als managed to get third in the men's race and a surprising ninth in the women's team battle. Marcus O'Sullivan's Villanova team seemed immune to the terrible conditions and placed sixth in the men's race. Mick Byrne's Iona Gaels placed a respectable 15th despite a DNF by their number three runner, Miguel Pinto. After the races, Irish Runner.com caught up with McDonnell, Treacy and O'Sullivan. Irish Runner.com: What do you think of this one as compared to last year's and other team victories? IR.com: You went into the meet ranked a distant third and many felt that was over ranked, did that bother you? IR.com: It is hard to use the word 'surprised' and Arkansas winning in the same sentence. What did you think Colorado being ranked first? IR.com: NCAA's is enough of a motivator but what did you tell the team before the race to get them further motivated? IR.com: Any special instructions for the team today given the course & the weather? IR.com: What about Keith Kelly's win? The Providence College men's and women's teams and coaches Irish Runner caught up with a reserved Ray Treacy, the coach of the Providence College Friars who prefers that his athletes remain the focal point than himself. On Keith Kelly's win. On the men's team getting third place. On the women's team's peformance. Marcus O'Sullivan briefly commented while escaping the bitter cold. On his team's performance. On Geraldine McCarthy (Co. Kerry)
John McDonnell: It was sweeter because this year we've only got five guys that are going at the end of the year and no true front runner. It was a question of whether we were gonna stay healthy. Our #6 & 7 guys are half milers. Colorado gave us a good race; they were coming at the end. Cross Country is often a race of position. We had a good, conditioned team and that made the difference. That was our strongest part. The farther the race went, the better we got. I couldn't be prouder. The last time we won here with Godfrey and a lot of freshmen. That was great but this one might be better because we didn't have a great guy up front, but we had a bunch of guys who wanted to win.
JM: They don't realise what Arkansas is all about we know how to win. It was a great bunch of guys. I told the guys that if we could get to the NCAA healthy, we are the top 5 guys in America on any team and I think we proved it I think we could line up any day and do that (win) again.
JM: Noting really, we have been first before. We don't worry about the polls, that is what I told our guys.
JM: I told our guys before the race that we had the best five in America, but that's all we had. I told them, 'If all five of you do it, then we will win it.' And that's what we did. We did exactly what we planned to do. We got out in the beginning, stayed up in the pack. In the end we faded a little bit, but then we came back. They did what they had to do.
Not really, we have been first before. We don't worry about the polls, that is what I told our guys. I figured we had to get out fast in the beginning. Get out of the big pack. I figured the first mile would be relatively easy and it was. The guys just hung on. Only Ryan Travis lost a few places in the end, his legs tightened up. Colorado gave us a good race; they were coming at the end. Cross Country is often a race of position. We have a little a bit of cold but nothing like this. I told the guys it might get 10 to 15 degrees worse. But hey, this is the National Championships and we are going to go out there and enjoy it and we will have 364 days to enjoy it [the win].
JM: Keith did a great job, I was happy for him because Providence is another team that didn't get much respect and they did a great job!
photo by Patrick O'Dowd
He's just an amazing athlete that has blossomed over the five years he's at PC [Providence College]. We kept saying all week if you're within striking distance just stay close it doesn't matter who it is and you'll outkick everyone and he did. It taught him a lesson. He trained harder this summer than he's ever trained and was prepared all season long. We knew the goal was to win this He was embarrassed and he should have been embarrassed. He proved today what great thlete he is and he was a great athlete then. He let himselp fall a little bit behind in his training over Christmastime. His lesson was well learned.
There were just two better teams on the day that beat them. The team did everything expected from them.
I'm delighted with the women's finish. The team came in ranked 19th and finished ninth. The team has now finished in the top 10 in 11 of the last 12 NCAA Championships.
We were ranked fourteenth and got sixth. We had a good showing, we were strong the first four after that a little weak. We didn't make if two years ago. Things are going well, we are moving forward, that's all you can do. Our kids are real young.
She's put her mind to it. She's got a ways to go yet. She's been injury free now, she's coming around but she's graduating, four years have gone by fast.