Boston College Athletics
Ski Teams Ready For 2004 Campaign
December 22, 2003 | Skiing
Dec. 22, 2003
Last season, the men's and women's programs took home second-place performances at the showcase event of college racing, the USCSA Nationals held at Northstar ski resort in California.
Head coach Gordy Megroz returns four racers from last years women's squad and welcomes six incoming freshmen for competition this year. The women's team earned the top ranking in the annual preseason coaches poll announced by the United States Collegiate Skiing Association (USCSA).
The Eagles are led by senior captain Jennifer Runco (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.). Runco was the runner-up in slalom competition at the Boston College Carnival and placed sixth at the USCSA Nationals last season. She grabbed top-ten finishes in all six slalom events she raced.
She will be joined by sophomores Esme Deprez (Portland, Maine) and Alexandra Grimley (Underhill, Vt.).
"We are very deep," says Megroz. "Maybe deeper than we've ever been. But many of the girls are freshman so they'll have to be able to adapt to the short college season quickly."
Those fresh faces include Meg Benedetto (Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.), Ingrid Bengston (St. Johnsbury, Vt.), Betsy Cornell (Hingham, Mass.), Kara Hoisington (Carrabassett Valley, Maine), Courtney Hollis (Nashua, N.H.) and Meaghan Riemer (Waitsfield, Vt.).
The men's team, chosen third in the USCSA Preseason poll, returns stalwarts Seth Therrien and Dave Guilietti who are primed and ready for their senior campaigns. "We need big years out of Therrien and Guilietti," says Megroz. Therrien is the Eagles' top returnee as he took home five top-ten performances while Guilietti finished his junior season with four top-ten races.
The Eagles' roster also features senior Joe Lopez (Orwigsburg, Pa.) who will make some contributions in 2004. All in all the men welcome back eight members from last year's team.
Junior Eric Newman (Saranac Lake, N.Y.) is joined by three sophomores: Peter Bing (Gallatin Gateway, Mont.), Peter Bohlin (Dover, Mass.) and Andrew Wallman (Park City, Utah).
Local newcomers Greg Avallon(Beverly, Mass.) and Nicholas Cronon (Hopkington, Mass.) along with Jason Duran (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Thatcher Merrill (Wilton, N.H.) are set the join the squad for the 2004 season.
Coach Megroz and first-year assistant Josh Applegate will monitor the progress of his freshmen as the departure of Barry Connolly and Mike Duran has left a few openings in the Eagles' lineup.
The Eagles get their season underway on Saturday, January 17 at the UMass-Amherst Carnival.
