Eager to bolster its reputation as a national powerhouse, the men's cross country team enters the 1993 season optimistic and focused.
The team has set two clear goals for itself ' to win the Heptagonal Championships in Van Cortlandt Park, N.Y. and to qualify for the NCAA championships.
Last year, the team failed to meet either goal.
After starting this season undefeated, the Big Green believe they can meet these goals. Navy, the winner of last fall's Heps, lost three of its top five runners, including Greg Keller and Bruce Frame, the gold and bronze medalists at the 1992 Heps.
This year, the main competition will come from Cornell, which has Rob Cunningham and Brian Clas both returning after top five finishes last year. But second-year head coach Barry Harwick believes that Dartmouth's Ted FitzPatrick '95 and Sam Wilbur '94 can match Cunningham and Clas "stride for stride."
"We will win the Heps this year, guaranteed," Wilbur said.
The team opened the season by hosting Boston College. The Big Green crushed the Eagles at the Dartmouth Invitational, sweeping the top five finishes. But Coach Harwick said he was "somewhat disappointed" because only one other team showed up after more than 50 had been invited.
Last weekend, the squad had an amazing showing at the BC Invitational, tying the University of South Florida for first place. Harwick said he was encouraged with the results because the team was able to beat Providence, a school Dartmouth will have to out-perform if it wants a berth in the NCAA Championships.
Notable freshmen Bill Beiner and Michael Fortier give promise for years to come. Beiner, who is currently injured, finished fifth in the national high school 10,000-meter race and Fortier ran an 8:40 in the 3,000 meter.
There is a feeling on the team that it must continue its winning tradition after placing third last year. The Big Green know they are better this year.
The squad faces Yale on Friday in New Haven, Conn.
