In most sports, the first game in a season is crucial, setting the standard for a team’s performance, and providing a benchmark to progress from. However, due to the unique cycle of training in cross country, the men’s and women’s first cross country meet against Army today will be an exhibition, based less on final team scores and more on providing runners with invaluable 2010 race experience before the bulk of the season’s races begin.   

“It’s nice to test yourself against people from another school … it’ll be good to get the kinks out from a racing standpoint,” said women’s head coach Lou Duesing. 

 But while the West Point meet may have minimal postseason ramifications, the men’s team is hoping to establish a season-long habit at Army.  

“I really want to focus on us running together as a pack … have four or five running together every race,” said men’s head coach Robert Johnson. 

With a powerful trio of seniors –– Nate Edelman, Matt De Silva and Adrien Dannemiller –– hungry to prove themselves, the Red enters the 2010 campaign with Ivy Champion aspirations. Last year, Edelman solidified his position at Heps with a fourth-place finish and qualified for Nationals. However, after a lackluster track season due to mononucleosis, Edelman is looking to dispel any questions about his fitness. Similarly, De Silva, the Red’s captain, earned Second-team All-Ivy XC honors, but missed the outdoor season due to a stress fracture. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Dannemiller missed the 2009 cross country season while traveling abroad but had an excellent track season, setting the No. 2 all-time Cornell record in the steeple chase.  

“On paper, my top three are all proven guys and they have potential to be my best top three ever,” Johnson said.  

Depth will also aid the men’s team this year. Two other seniors –– Drew Hart and Max Kasak –– will return; Kasak was a member of the top seven last year, while Hart posted an impressive 30:08 for the 10K during track season. A strong sophomore class, composed of Brett Kelly, Matt McCullough and Robert Micikas, is expected to be in the mix as well; Kelly was a consistent top five runner last year. Finally, freshman Gabe Heck may have the potential to contribute immediately; Heck was the Wisconsin state runner-up last year and ran 9:03 in the two mile. 

However, due to surgery, 2009 freshman phenomenon Kevin Johnson will serve as team manager and will be unable to compete this season.  

 It was ”compartment syndrome, it doesn’t look like we’re going to have him which is a big blow,” Johnson said. 

Like the men’s team, the Cornell women will look primarily to a talented mixture of seniors and sophomores in 2010. 

“There are five people from last year’s top seven that will return; four of them are sophomores, the other is a junior … every single one of them had an excellent track season, either scoring at Heps or having significant personal bests,” Duesing said. 

After placing fourth at Heptagonals, according to Duesing, “they want to be a podium team –– top three at Heps. We thought we could have been up there last year.”

With senior captain Maura Carroll and senior Kristie Sellers providing leadership, sophomores Katie Kellner, Genna Hartung and Kelsey Karys are expected to continue where they left off last year. 

Hartung finished 11th at Heps and earned All-Ivy honors last year. Karys excelled in indoor and outdoor track, running the 3K in Cornell-freshman record times, while Kellner set several personal bests in distance events throughout the outdoor season. 

But despite the differences in composition, both the men’s and women’s teams have similar goals in mind. While the season may begin at Army today, ultimately its success will be decided late in October.   

“I want our best race of the season at the Ivy League Championships and at NCAA Regionals,” Johnson said.