The Dartmouth men have garnered the Ivy crown at Heps 16 times, including last year. This season, the men will face a fierce challenge from the Princeton Tigers, last year's Heps runners-up and the general favorite for this year's title.
Princeton and Dartmouth stand head and shoulders above the other Ivies, and will face off in what promises to be a race for the ages.
"Last year was a little different because we were pretty substantial favorites, whereas this year I think many people expect Princeton to win," Steve Mucchetti '07, one of Dartmouth's top runners, said.
Steve Dolan, assistant coach for Princeton, also recognized the rivalry. "I would consider Dartmouth the favorite on the men's side. ... We certainly hope to challenge them for the title this year," he said in an interview with ivysports.com.
In addition to the team championship, Ben True '08 will be running to defend his individual title this year. True will face stiff competition from Dave Nightingale and Michael Maag of Princeton, and from teammate Mucchetti.
The Heptagonal Championship is one of the most hotly-contested races in the country each year. The Ivy League is notoriously competitive in cross country. Last year, all of the ancient eight finished in the top 10 at the NCAA regional. Cornell coach Robert Johnson summed up this year's championship race very effectively.
"It certainly looks to be a two-team race for the title between Princeton and Dartmouth with Princeton being the strong favorite," he said to ivysports.com. "However, the last 20 years of history say to never discount Dartmouth as they always seem to rise to the occasion."
"We plan to win," Mucchetti said. "Everyone on the team knows what we're capable of, and I expect us to have our best race of the season."
On the women's side, the race also appears to be a duel between two superior teams -- this time Princeton and Columbia. The Columbia women have taken home the title for the past five years in a row, and they will have the advantage of competing on their home turf at Van Cortland Park in New York City.
The Tigers however, are far and away the favorite to prevail. Currently ranked 13th nationally, the Princeton women are looking to capture their first Heptagonal championship in over 20 years.
"Princeton and Columbia should go 1-2 in the team race, and I expect the usual really tough battle for places three through six," Dartmouth coach Maribel Souther said.
"If we can keep our pack together, I do think we have a chance to be somewhere in the middle. Finishing four or five would be a really good day for us," she added.
The Dartmouth women are a very young team, composed of many talented freshmen and only a few upperclassmen. There isn't a single senior in the top seven. Susan Dunklee '08 is Dartmouth's top runner, and she could vie for a spot in the top 10 individually. Yale's Lindsay Donaldson is the hands-down favorite for the women's individual title.
While the Dartmouth men are looking to obliterate the doubts about the defense of their title, the women will be looking to gain experience at the most important race of the year. Princeton's Steve Dolan expressed the anticipation perfectly: "There is no meet like the Heptagonal Championships," she said. "The history and spirit of the meet is unmatched. All that matters is how you run on Oct. 27."
