New Book on Villanova Track at its Peak

Jerry Bouma, a Canadian ex-pat who ran at Villanova from 1970-74 has recently published a great insider's account of the program at the peak of its prowess. Titled TOUCHING GREATNESS, FOREVER TOGETHER: THE VILLANOVA TRACK STORY, 1966-81, it chronicles the 16-year consecutive streak of Penn Relays DMR titles for the Villanova men. Bouma's narrative captures well the dynamics of the program, its leading personalities, the importance of the leadership of the upperclassmen (passed down from one "generation" to the next), and the coaching approach of Jumbo Elliot. Plenty of great anecdotes.

HERE is a fine review of the book by longtime track aficionado Jeff Benjamin.

Seven years on, and Sonia’s silver shines

A national athletic hero, Sonia O’Sullivan’s career has had plenty of heartaches, as well as triumphs

Sonia celebrates silver in the 5000m final at 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. 
Photograph: Stu Forster /Allsport

Paul Cullen

The Irish Times

For those of us of a certain age, drawn to moments of high sporting drama, there was one person who gave us more to shout about, more moments of nail-biting tension and, alas, more nights of gut-wrenching disappointment than anyone else.

Emotionally, we invested more in the rollercoaster of her fortunes than we did in those of Eamonn or Stephen or Seán or Pádraig. Maybe Roy came close, but then he had team-mates, and as many detractors as supporters.

Sonia.

Still instantly recognisable by her first name alone, Sonia O’Sullivan is probably the finest woman athlete Ireland has produced. An Olympic silver medallist, a world champion and twice a world cross-country champion, the gangly Cork woman with the devastating finishing kick was also no stranger to defeat. Twice, when fancied to win, she finished fourth in the Olympics and the World Championships, to the dismay of an expectant public at home.

The strong taint of suspicious drug use attaches itself to some of those who pushed the Irishwoman out of the medal positions on those far-off race days. Other Irish runners, such as Derval O’Rourke, have been awarded championship medals later after drug cheats were disqualified and placings changed.

Sonia is from an earlier era, before the technology was to test for drugs retrospectively, but she is relaxed about the issue. “I don’t dwell on it. So much time has gone by. It wouldn’t change anything if the placings were changed. You’d just get a medal in the post and put it in the drawer.”

She always knew there was something “not quite right” about some of her opponents, but nothing she could prove. “I think the drug-testing technology around the world has improved. There are fewer people cheating now. You can see it in the times and the performances; there’s no one doing ridiculous things, the way it used to be.”

More at home

She has lived in Australia for years now but still flinches when asked if it is her home. “Kinda, but I’ve always felt more at home here in Ireland,” she says when asked. She says her daughters, Ciara and Sophie, feel the same way, but admits this might change now they have started secondary school.

 

Despite having been retired for about seven years, she remains a familiar face through her work in promoting running and healthy living, and commenting on athletics for RTÉ. When the Olympic flame passed through Ireland on its way to the London games in 2012, it was Sonia who was chosen to carry it into St Stephen’s Green and light the cauldron.

Injury, most notably a recurrent problem with her Achilles tendon, has forced her running to take a back seat in recent years but she still keeps active by walking, cycling and swimming.

“I reached such heights in running; you can’t match that as you get older. So you have to go to other events and set new goals. I get a great sense of achievement from cycling 160km in a day.”

British runner Jo Pavey’s recent 10,000-metre win in the European Championships at the age of 40 and only 11 months after having her second child captured the headlines, but Sonia was doing something similar back in the 1990s. She won her Olympic silver medal in 2000, just 15 months after giving birth to her first daughter, Ciara. There wasn’t any great plan at the time, she recalls. “I ran for as long as I could during the pregnancy, then switched in the last weeks to the bike. 

“After the birth, I’d go for long walks, then after a few weeks, I started training again with the slowest group at first. The rate of improvement each week was amazing.”

Having children should be no bar to the maintenance of fitness, she believes. “Keeping up your fitness before and after a birth should be normal.

“The important thing is to find your right level, to be aware of what your body is telling you.”

Coping with injury is another challenge for runners that Sonia is only too painfully aware of these days. “It’s a lot easier to accept injury now than when I competed in the Olympics. I’m less likely to go to extremes to fix things than I was. I’m quite happy to jump on the bike, go for a long walk or hit the gym if I’m unable to run.”

Fitness levels

Currently, Sonia is helping promote Athletics Ireland’s Fit4Life programme, which is aimed at recreational runners seeking to increase their level of fitness and achieve personal goals. In the programme, sponsored by GloHealth, runners are grouped by ability for training sessions and coached towards specific race challenges, such as a first 5k or 10-miler.

 

“The great thing about running as part of a group is that there is a lot of energy in mass participation that drives the adrenalin in each person. People push themselves and, hopefully, are surprised by what they achieve.”

Sonia’s second daughter, Sophie, has taken up where her mother left off by making it to the state cross-country team in Australia, while Ciara has no interest in running. As a parent, Sonia says she wants her children to be happy whatever they do. “I wouldn’t have any expectations, and I would never put any pressure on them to do something. But it can be harder for them; they might think I have an expectation.

“Basically, I think if you find something you enjoy doing, you have to do it. Like I did.”

Villanova Harriers Ranked #9 in FloTrack's Preseason XC Poll

The 2013 NCAA Regional Champions return 6 of 7 for the 2014 campaign.  Only Alex Tully (far right), the hero of the 2012 NCAA Regional, will be missing from this year's squad

XC COUNTDOWN: #9 Villanova Men

Flo Track on Aug 24, 2014 |

Head Coach:
Marcus O’Sullivan (15th Year)

Last Year:

1st Big East

1st Mid-Atlantic Region

18th NCAA

Probable Top Five:

SO Patrick Tiernan (7:57 3k; 13:31 5k; 9th NCAA XC '13)

SR Sam McEntee (3:36 1500m; 7:54 3k; 14:12 5k; 27th NCAA XC '13)

JR Jordy Williamsz (3:36 1500m; 8:04 3k; 10th Mid-Atlantic XC '13; 205th NCAA XC '13)

SR Brian Basili (8:17 3k; 14:08 5k; 12th Mid-Atlantic XC '13; 143rd NCAA XC '13)

JR Robert Denault (3:41 1500m; 8:15 3k; 9th Mid-Atlantic XC '13; 6th Big East XC '13)

Impact Freshman/Recruits:

Grant Wiggins - Norfolk Academy, VA (4:20 1600m; 15:41 5k)

Ishmael Muhammed - Oakcrest, NJ (4:16 1600m; 1:48 800m)

Analysis:
Villanova’s three boys from Down Under guarantee that Coach Marcus O’Sullivan can book their flights to Terre Haute, a little earlier than most. Patrick Tiernan was 9th as a freshman, and his 13:31 5k on the track is indicative of what this guy from Toowoomba (Australia) can produce on the day. His projected low stick may even be as good as top three at the Big Race. He is that good. Sam McEntee (Perth, Australia) was a terrific 27th at last year’s race, and he has as good a set of wheels as anyone in the race with a 3:36 for 1500. Jordy WIlliamsz (Melbourne, Australia) is not likely to have the nightmare he had at last year’s bogfest race where he finished 205th. He is much better than that, so look for him to redeem himself this time around.

Solid senior Brian Basili finished 12th in last year’s Region race, and he has improved throughout his years at Villanova as indicated by his PR last year of 14:08 for 5k on the track. He will be the lone American in O’Sullivan’s top five. Canadian Robert Denault leaped on to the list of Villanova’s many top 1500 meter runners with a 3:41 last spring. Showing he can run longer, he was 9th in the Mid Atlantic Region cross meet last year.

So, does anybody want to race Villanova over 1500 meters? How about 10,000 meters on grass?

Maybe no on both counts.

A winner in Coach O’Sullivan  and some very talented foreigners will make the Wildcats a team to be feared in November.

Tom Donnelly into USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame

Pat Devine (l) and Tom Donnelly (r) formed a dynamic duo as track and XC coaches at LaSalle High

Tom Donnelly into USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame

Tom Donnelly winning the 1969 IC4A Steeplechase Title, in 8:50

Here's the release today from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, naming former Villanova All-American Tom Donnelly as a 2014 inductee into its Coaches Hall of Fame

Tom Donnelly

Haverford

Tom Donnelly

While Tom Donnelly of Haverford has said the impact a coach makes on a student-athlete is "maybe one percent," the long-running thread of successes his Haverford men’s track & field and cross country squads have achieved during his 40-year-and-counting career as the head coach of the Fords says otherwise.
Since taking over at the small liberal arts school of little more than 1,000 students in 1974, Donnelly has become one of the most influential distance coaches in the country. Even though numerous world-class athletes have trained under his tutelage over the years – including sub-3:50 milers Marcus O’Sullivan and Sydney Maree – Donnelly has remained loyal to the program he built in Haverford.
That program-building culminated in 2010 with his cross country team winning the school’s first-ever national team title, led by individual national champion Anders Hulleberg and five All-Americans. The team title is part of a streak of 29 consecutive team appearances at the NCAA Championships, and a overall total of 33 team appearances.
Hulleberg was the second national cross country champion Donnelly coached, along with Seamus McElligott in 1990, and his All-Americans were among 32 different men who have earned the honor in cross country during his tenure.
He has been equally as successful on the track as on the trails, with 66 men having earned outdoor All-America honors and 59 earning the award indoors – including 15 outdoor event champions and 10 indoor champions.
His teams have dominated at the conference level both indoors and out. Since the Centennial Conference was formed in 1994, Donnelly’s Fords have claimed 18 of 21 outdoor track & field team titles and 17 of 21 indoor team crowns.
Those victories were powered by the largest number of event champions in conference history. His men have combined for 106 event wins at the Centennial Conference Outdoor Championships, and 130 indoors.
Before beginning his legendary Haverford coaching career, he contributed to the track & field and cross country legacy of another historic Pennsylvania institution in Villanova. He was a member of a Wildcats program from 1966 through 1969 that won three-straight NCAA cross country team titles and another in track & field.

1998 in BudapestSonia O'Sullivan wins European Championship at 10,000m

Jen Rhines: Career Highlights

JEN RHINES - Career Highlights

Jen Rhines

• 2000 Olympian - 10,000m
• 2004 Olympian - Marathon
• 2008 Olympian - 5,000m
• 3,000m – 8:35.03 (#6 U.S. performer all-time)
• 5,000m – 14:54.29 (#5 U.S. performer all-time)
• 10,000m – 31:17.31 (#9 U.S. performer all-time)
• 5-time NCAA Champion: XC and 5,000m (3x outdoor and 1x indoor)
• 9th at 2011 World Championships - 10,000m
• 14th at 2008 Olympics - 5,000m
• 7th at 2007 World Championships - 5,000m
• 12th at 2002 World Cross Country Championships

Liverpool High School '92 (Liverpool, New York)
• 2-time New York State Champion - 1,500m
• 2-time Footlocker Cross Country Finalist
• High School Personal Bests: 4:31 (1,500m) and 9:56 (3,000m)
 

Jen Rhines started running when she went out for spring track in 7th grade. She competed in the 100 and 200 meter sprints, but gradually increased her race distances each season. By the time she got to 9th grade she was racing the 800 and 1500 meter runs. During those years Jen was a three sport athlete. She’d play soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter and run track in the spring.

Eventually Jen realized that running was going to be her best sport so when she transferred from Phoenix to Liverpool High School in central New York to start her sophomore year she joined the cross country team. She quickly became one of New York’s top runners. In cross country, Jen qualified for the Footlocker Cross Country Championships her junior and senior years. Her senior year she was 5th at Footlocker. She was the New York State Champion in the 1500 her junior and senior years. She left Liverpool High School with still standing school records in the 1500 (4:31) and 3000 (9:56) meter runs.

With those credentials it isn’t surprising that Jen was recruited by many colleges. However, it was the storied history of the Villanova program that led her to the suburbs of Philadelphia to continue her running. Her start at Villanova wasn’t what she envisioned. Her frosh cross country campaign ended with a 98th place finish at the NCAA championships. The team won but she didn’t contribute to the team score and it bothered her…..a lot. She recognized the problem and made changes. The following year she placed second then her junior year she was the NCAA Cross Country Champion. While at Villanova Jen was a five-time NCAA champion. Added to her cross country title is the outdoor 5000 three consecutive years (1994-1996) and the indoor 5000 in 1995. Jen graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 1996.

To say that things got better for Jen after she left Villanova would be an understatement. She went on to qualify for three Olympic Games. In 2000, she qualified in the 10,000 then the marathon in 2004. In 2008, she qualified in the 5000 in an epic battle against Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher in what some say was the greatest women’s Olympic Trials 5000 race ever. Jen’s professional career includes her breaking the elusive 15-minute barrier in the 5,000. Her 14:54.29 makes her the 5th fastest American performer ever at that distance. Her 31:17.31 10,000 makes her the 9th fastest American performer ever. Her 3000 best of 8:35.03 makes her the 6th fastest American performer ever. It’s very difficult to make one Olympic team. It’s rare to make a second. It puts you in a very elite group of people when you make three Olympic teams. In 2011, 15 years after graduating from college, Jen finished 9th at the World Championships in the 10,000 meters. Her success and longevity in this sport is amazing and the envy of other elite athletes. She is truly one of America’s greatest distance runners ever.

Terrence Mahon and Jen Rhines

Jen resides in Boston, MA with her husband Terrance Mahon and two pugs, Bella and Star. Her husband Terrance is an accomplished athlete and coach. He was an All-American at Villanova, has run 2:13:02 for the marathon and qualified for the Olympic Trials in both the 10,000 and marathon. Terrance is also one of the foremost coaches in the United States. He was head coach of the Mammoth Track Club where he coached such greats as Deena Kastor, Ryan Hall, Morgan Uceny, Anna (Willard) Pierce, Amy Hastings and of course his wife. In 2013 he was recruited by the Boston Athletic Association to start and coach their high performance athlete group.

Villanova Takes 4 of 6 Distance Championships at Penn Relays

Nova Gals Sweep Distance Relays with 4x800 Title

Emily Lipari, Kelsey Margey, Nicky Akande and Angel Piccirillo after repeating as 4x800 Champions

Results

PL	School/Affiliation	Mark	Athletes	ID
1	Villanova	8:21.49	Kelsey Margey (2:06.33), Angel Piccirillo (2:06.00), Nicky Akande (2:05.67), Emily Lipari (2:03.50)	AA
2	Oregon	8:22.54	Claudia Francis (2:08.20), Samantha Murphy (2:08.42), Annie Leblanc (2:04.07), Laura Roesler (2:01.86)	AB
3	Georgetown	8:31.03	Rachel Schneider (2:08.52), Sabrina Southerland (2:06.09), Becca Deloache (2:08.08), Andrea Keklak (2:08.37)	AC
4	Tennessee	8:35.22	Alexis Panisse (2:07.63), Kianna Ruff (2:08.05), Brittney Jackson (2:09.94), Amirah Johnson (2:09.62)	AE
5	Princeton	8:45.40	Meghan McMullin (2:10.82), Zoe Sims (2:12.22), Molly Higgins (2:13.06), Kim Mackay (2:09.31)	AH
6	Fordham	8:50.90	Titi Fagade (2:10.96), Kristen Stuart (2:12.54), Melissa Higgins (2:13.16), Mara Lieberman (2:14.26)	AL
7	Charlotte	8:51.18	Rachel Miller (2:12.05), T'Sheila Mungo (2:12.00), Taylor Carcella (2:12.94), Maraya Slatter (2:14.21)	AQ
8	Northern Illinois	8:59.14	Ali Olson (2:12.59), Meghan Heuer (2:13.71), Jamie Burr (2:19.02), Julie Cronin (2:13.83)	AS
9	Indiana	8:59.23	Samantha Gwin (2:16.30), Kellie Davis (2:14.67), Taylor Wiley (2:15.64), Samantha Ginther (2:12.65)	AN
10	Army	8:59.39	Katrina Donarski (2:15.05), Allie Sutherland (2:14.80), Elizabeth Moton (2:19.77), Jennifer Comfort (2:09.78)	AR

Quotes

Gina Procaccio

Coach - Villanova University

"I didn't think lightning would strike twice. I don't know what to say...I decided to go with the exact same relay from last year (2013 Penn Relays 4x800 Champions). I told them to try to channel last year. We had nothing to lose and everything to gain."

Emily Lipari

Anchor - Villanova University

"I know that Laura (Roesler) is a very competitive person and that she was looking to do the same thing to me that I did to her last year (Lipari out-kicked Roesler to win the 2013 Penn Relays 4x800). I had to put a good lead on her, and I could feel her coming...I didn't want to give her an opportunity to edge me out on he the line, so I took off with everything I had left in the tank with 200 meters to go. (My teammates) ran with so much heart."

Villanova Men Seize Penn Relays 4 x 800 Crown

Results

PL	School/Affiliation	Mark	Athletes	ID
1	Villanova	7:16.58	Josh Lampron (1:51.80), Dusty Solis (1:49.45), Jordan Williamsz (1:48.77), Samuel Ellison (1:46.58)	AB
2	Penn State	7:18.99	Wade Endress (1:53.35), Za'Von Watkins (1:48.97), Ryan Brennan (1:49.73), Brannon Kidder (1:46.96)	AA
3	Georgetown	7:19.27	Ryan Manahan (1:51.42), Billy Ledder (1:50.68), Amos Bartelsmeyer (1:48.59), Ahmed Bile (1:48.60)	AE
4	Wake Forest	7:20.49	Simon Holden (1:51.36), Thomas Bojanowski (1:50.50), Kyle Eager (1:49.78), Kyle Graves (1:48.87)	AG
5	Stanford	7:24.99	Scott Buttinger (1:53.14), Justin Brinkley (1:51.57), Marco Bertolotti (1:50.89), Luke Lefebure (1:49.40)	AD
6	Georgia Tech	7:25.44	Jeremy Greenwald (1:52.13), Zack Fanelty (1:54.70), Shawn Roberts (1:48.74), Brandon Lasater (1:49.88)	AC
7	Columbia	7:25.90	Denzel Woode (1:53.84), Harry McFann (1:51.04), Rob Napolitano (1:51.04), Connor Claflin (1:49.99)	AF
8	Monmouth	7:27.16	Andrew Langille (1:51.86), Domenick D'Agostino (1:54.80), Alex Leight (1:52.12), Dylan Capwell (1:48.41)	AN
9	Texas A&M	7:27.84	Gaines Kinsey (1:53.57), Josh Hernandez (1:51.82), Cameron Cardwell (1:52.68), Hector Hernandez (1:49.78)	AJ
10	Brown	7:27.90	Tyler Benster (1:53.25), Matt Bevil (1:52.81), Colin Savage (1:51.80), Henry Tufnell (1:50.05)	AH
11	Princeton	7:36.48	William Paulson (1:53.16), Luke Brahm (1:56.67), Michael Williams (1:54.52), Bradley Paternostro (1:52.14)	AI
12	Cornell	7:41.73	Hong Cho (1:55.08), Will Weinlandt (1:51.06), Eric Bice (1:54.38), John Schilkowsky (2:01.23)	AM

Quotes

Sam Ellison

Anchor - Villanova University

"Unbelievable. You can't really find words for it. This environment is very special. You can't really get a crowd like this anywhere else in the world, whether it's the Olympics, World Championships; there's nothing like the Penn Relays. They're kind of the Super Bowl of our sport." "Our coaches always tell us 'run for the vest,' run for the jersey. In our field house we just have a hallway full of wheels, and we take it very seriously. For us to have all of the talent we have on this team, it's kind of weird that we haven't won one yet, but sometimes it just takes the right day, the right time, the right guys, to come together." "Certainly we were all trying to be like Emily (Lipari) today. She's an unbelievable athlete. We're certainly proud of her." "You just want to be a part of it and bring one home for your team, your coaches, and your school."

Villanova Women Go 2-2: Take Penn Relays 4x1500 Crown

Results

PL	School/Affiliation	Mark	Athletes	ID
1	Villanova	17:16.52	Stephanie Schappert (4:22.3), Angel Piccirillo (4:17.4), Nicky Akande (4:20.4), Emily Lipari (4:16.4)	AB
2	Stanford	17:16.74	Claudia Saunders (4:22.6), Amy Weissenbach (4:17.4), Jessica Tonn (4:20.1), Aisling Cuffe (4:16.6)	AC
3	Dartmouth	17:20.87	Abby Markowitz (4:27.4), Dana Giordano (4:16.4), Margaret Donovan (4:29.1), Abbey D'Agostino (4:08.0)	AE
4	New Mexico	17:35.25		AI
5	Columbia	17:56.59	Olivia Sadler (4:24.4), Waverly Neer (4:22.0), Anna Williams (4:33.5), Trina Bills (4:36.7)	AH
6	Georgetown	18:02.84	Hannah Neczypor (4:26.6), Haley Pierce (4:31.3), Annamarie Maag (4:27.5), Kirsten Kasper (4:37.4)	AD
7	Mississippi State	18:08.45	Rhianwedd Price (4:22.8), Katie Huston (4:32.9), Cornelia Griesche (4:28.9), Emma Neigel (4:43.9)	AM
8	Tennessee	18:13.47	Amirah Johnson (4:24.0), Chelsea Blaase (4:38.8), Kelsey Kane (4:38.3), Alexis Panisse (4:32.4)	AF
	Texas A&M	DNF	Hillary Montgomery, Grace Fletcher, Ashley Chamberlain, Katie Willard	AN
	Indiana	DNF		AP
	UConn	DNF	Emily Durgin (4:27.4), Abby Mace (4:53.9), Lauren Sara (4:36.1), Lisa Zimmer