University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Enjoyed Continued Success During 2003 Cross Country Season
12/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
During the 2003 season, the University of Connecticut men’s cross country team continued to enjoy a level of success that has become a standard for the program. Led by three senior veterans and two top-level freshmen, the team performed well consistently throughout the season.
UConn began the year with a third-place finish at the Providence College Cross Country Invitational. The Huskies were led by senior Ken Goglas (Randolph, NJ) who placed sixth on the 4.97 mile course (8000 meters) with a time of 25:44. Eric Fleckenstein (Port Jefferson, NY) and Mike Hall (Washington Depot, CT) also placed in the top 10, finishing eighth and ninth, respectively, with times of 25:53 and 25:55.
The team followed up that performance with their one of their best showings of the season when they placed their runners in the top four spots to win the CCSU Ted Owens Invitational. Hall led all runners, taking first with a time of 26:39. Fleckenstein took second in 26:54, Goglas was right behind him in 26:56, and freshman Pat Blake (Lebanon, CT) placed fourth with a time of 27:01. The Huskies finished with 19 points for first place, and their closest competitor Maine finished second with 68 points.
In their third meet, UConn placed six runners in the top 10 to take first place of nine teams at the Quinnipiac Invitational. Goglas was again strong for UConn, leading the team with a time of 26:03 to finish in second, and Hall placed fourth in a time of 26:20. Placing fifth was Fleckenstein, and in seventh was Blake. Eighth place went to freshman Max Feldman (Easton, CT), and also in the top 10 was junior Alex Hudimatch (Watertown, CT).
At the New England Championships, the team placed 10th among 41 teams, and had four runners place in the top 50 among 255 participants. Hall was the top finisher for the Huskies with a time of 25:25 to place 30th.
Five UConn runners placed in the top 50 to finish fifth of 12 teams at the BIG EAST Championship held at Van Cortlandt Park. Hall was again the top finisher for the Huskies, running a time of 25:44 to place 25th. Goglas placed 32nd in a time of 26:10, and also scoring points for UConn was Blake, Fleckenstein and Feldman.
Fleckenstein and Blake both placed in the top 40 to lead UConn to 12th place of 33 teams at the NCAA Northeast Region Championship at the conclusion of the season. UConn garnered 313 team points, while Iona College won the event with a team score of 58.
Fleckenstein finished 36th with a time of 31:24, while Blake was close behind with a time of 31:28 to place 38th. Also scoring for the Huskies was Goglas who placed 61st, Hall who finished in 66th, and Feldman who placed 112th of the 220 runners.
