Editor's Note: The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is celebrating its 40th anniversary season in 2020-21. Throughout this summer, the conference will be announcing all-anniversary teams for each sport it currently sponsors. In conjunction, the Marist Athletics Department will highlight its achievements from the MAAC era.
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POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Marist men's and women's cross country have been racing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for over 20 years, and over that time have reached levels of great success, including many great individual achievements and team performances.
The women's team has amassed four MAAC titles since the program joined the MAAC in the late 1990's, including winning its first in 1998. Meanwhile, the men's program was the MAAC runner-up in 11 seasons.
1998 was a successful year for both program's as the men picked up second place at Van Cortlandt Park, while the women's team was crowned the victor, one of the first ever MAAC titles in the history of Marist Athletics.
The women's team was able to successfully defend its title in 1999, as it was crowned Co-Champion along with Manhattan. The Red Foxes were back on top by themselves in 2000, cementing Marist's three-peat. Just three years later Marist won its fourth championship in seven years, completing its dominant run.
Below are some of the best athlete's who have ever worn the red and white, along with some of the best individual highlights throughout each program's history.
Michelle Gaye: Michelle Gaye is the most decorated runner in school history. She became the first runner in school history to earn four top-10 finishes at the MAAC Championships, with finishes of sixth, seventh, seventh and seventh. In 2014, she became the first female runner in school history to claim an individual ECAC Championship. That was one of three years she claimed All-ECAC honors, which she previously accomplished in 2011 and 2012. Gaye was also named MAAC Runner of the Week twice in her career. Gaye was a four-time All-MAAC performer as well.
Kristen Traub: Traub is remembered for having the best invitational meet performance in Red Fox history. She holds the school record in the 5k, 17:50.00, which has not been bested by anybody throughout history. Meanwhile, she is also third in the record book with a time of 21:26.00 in the 6k. Traub was named to the All-ECAC First Team twice in her career, and was also a two-time All-MAAC performer.
Addie DiFrancesco: DiFrancesco had a stellar career for Marist, making the All-ECAC First team twice, as well as being recognized as an All-MAAC performer twice. She was a key part of the 2009 team, and helped lead the Red Foxes to the program;s first ever ECAC Cross-Country Championship.
Liza Grudzinski: Grudzinski won two individual MAAC Championships in her time as a Red Fox, helping lead Marist to its first two MAAC championships in 1998 and 1999. Grudzinki was also a key cog on the 2000 championship as well. She currently owns the Red Fox record for the highest finish at NCAA Regionals, placing 25th overall.
Gianna Tedeschi: Tedeschi's Marist tenure got off to a hot start, as she made the MAAC All-Rookie Team as a freshman. Throughout her career, she made the All-ECAC First Team twice, and was also a two-time All-MAAC performer. She currently has Marist's second highest finish at NCAA Regionals, placing 27th overall. Tedeschi also holds the Red Fox record in the 6k, clocking in at 20:52.10.
Head Coach Phil Kelly: Kelly served as Marist head coach for women's cross country/track & field for 18 years, including the Red Foxes' first 11 years in the MAAC (1997-2007). In this time, Kelly guided the Red Foxes to four MAAC championships, with three-straight from 1998-2000 and another title in 2004. Kelly coached Liza Grudzinski, who was the MAAC individual champion in both 1998 & 1999. In Kelly's tenure as head coach, the Red Foxes finished in the top half of the field (no lower than fifth) in every MAAC championship they competed in.
Girma Segni: Girma Segni is the greatest male cross country runner in program history, holding the program record for the Van Cortlandt Park 8k at 25:01.4. He is one of just three Red Foxes to earn All-MAAC honors for all four years, and finished 10th, fourth, fifth and sixth at the MAAC Championships in order in his career.
Arquumedes Delacruz: Earned All-MAAC honors for four straight years, becoming the third runner in program history to do so, following Girma Segni and Will Griffin, also on this list. He finished his cross country career as the only Marist runner in school history to earn All-East honors in the Championship Division in every season he has raced. He was also a one-time MAAC Runner of the Week.
Mike Melfi: Melfi held the best time in program history at Van Cortlandt Park for 10 years. He finished with a time of 25:11:00 in 1998, and was not bested until 2008 by Segni. Melfi was part of the program's first ever MAAC seasons, and helped lead the team to some impressive seasons. He is currently a coach at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Will Griffin: Griffin, one of Marist Male Sportsperson of the Year recipients, made the IC4A All-East Team twice during his Marist tenure. Griffin made the MAAC All-Academic Team each year he was eligible, adding to his list of achievements. He currently sits in second place in the program's record book, with a time of 25:03.4 at Van Cortlandt Park in 2011.
Matthew Flint: Flint ranks third in the record book, for his finish at Van Cortlandt park in 2011, 25:04.00, clocking in less than a second behind teammate Will Griffin. He was an All-MAAC performer his senior season in 2011, and made the IC4A All-East Team the two years prior.
Head Coach Pete Colaizzo: Colaizzo is approaching three decades of service as the head coach of Marist men's cross country, and is the only coach the Red Foxes have had in their 23 seasons in the MAAC. He has led the Red Foxes to 11 second-place finishes in the MAAC Championships, which have been captured by Iona for 29 straight years. Marist's second-place finishes are the most of any MAAC school in that span, and included an eight-year streak from 2005-12. Colaizzo was named MAAC Coach of the Year in 2015.
Brittany Burns: Burns was named All-MAAC throughout all four years of her Red Fox tenure. She played a key role on the 2009 team, and helped lead the Red Foxes to the team's first ECAC Championship. She was also a two-time member of the All-ECAC First Team.
Mara Schiffhauer: Schiffhauer was a captain on the Red Foxes' 2017 team, and she helped lead the program to the highest NCAA Regional finish in school history – 17th place. She was All-MAAC three times in her career, and also made the All-ECAC First Team twice. She was also a key runner on the team's second ECAC Championship in 2015.
Kirk Dornton: Dornton holds the program's ninth-best time in the history of the program at Van Cortlandt Park, finishing with a mark of 25:38.10 in 2002. Dortnon was an All-MAAC performer throughout his tenure, leaving his mark in conference history. He also was a member of the IC4A Championship Team in 2000.
David Raucci: Raucci was an All-MAAC performer multiple times at Marist, leading to an incredible career. He was a four-time runner up in events at the MAAC Championship, helping lead the team to some great performances. He also holds the program's fifth best time at Van Cortlandt Park, clocking in at 25:13.00 in 2008.
Van Cortlandt Park 6k – 14. Addie DiFrancesco, 22:01.90 (2011)
Hammonassett Park 6k – 4. Kiersten Anderson, 21:43.50 (2010)
ESPN Wide World of Sports 6k – 11. Diane Matthews, 21:30.69 (2004)
ESPN Wide World of Sports 5k – 3. Jen Rosenblatt, 18:02.80 (2000)
ESPN Wide World of Sports 5k – 6. Susan Golden, 18:34.40 (2000)
ESPN Wide World of Sports 5k – 9. Heather Perrine, 18:48.00 (2000)
ESPN Wide World of Sports 5k – 11. Cheryl Norris, 18:48.80 (2000)
ESPN Wide World of Sports 5k – 13. Jill Stetler, 18:49.70 (2000)
The Crossings of Colonie 6k – 13.
Gianna Tedeschi, 22:23.20 (2018)
Holmdel Park 6k – 14. Michelle Gaye, 21:38.50 (2014)
Rosedale Park 6k – Mara Schiffhauer, 21:58.09 (2015)
1. Girma Segni, 25:01.4 (September, 2008)
2. Will Griffin, 25:03.4 (October, 2011)
3. Matt Flint, 25:04.0 (October, 2011)
4. Mike Melfi, 25:11:00 (October, 1998)
5. David Raucci, 25:13:00 (November, 2008)
6. Arquimedes DelaCruz, 25:17:00 (November, 2011)
7. Jerry Scholder, 25:25:00 (November, 1976)
8. Conor Shelley, 25:33.8 (September, 2008)
9. Kirk Dornton, 25:38.1 (November, 2002)
10. Dietrich Mosel, 25:38.2 (November, 2017)
Hammonassett Park – 7. Matthew Flint, 24:50.50 (2010)
Hammonassett Park – 8. Will Griffin, 24:52.70 (2010)
Hammonassett Park – 12. Ariquimedes DelaCruz, 25:13.30 (2010)
The Crossings of Colonie – 8. Michael Kennedy, 25:38.20 (2018)
