FROSTBURG, Md. -  It’s a season of new beginnings for the 2010 Frostburg State men’s and women’s cross country teams as Dale Luy adds cross country to his track and field coaching responsibilities. The Bobcats will also have new competition as they compete in the Capital Athletic Conference for the first time this season.

The men’s team is led by junior Gavin Caupp (Frostburg, Md./Mountain Ridge), a two-time all conference performer in the AMCC. Caupp’s best performance of 2009 came in the AMCC Championships, finishing in fifth place (29:19) and helping the team to a third place performance. He also added a 20th place finish at the Dickinson Long-Short Invitational (27:28.6) and was the team’s best finisher at the NCAA Regionals (28:44).

The talent on the men’s side doesn’t end there, though. Luy feels that this is the deepest cross country team he has seen at Frostburg.

Two seniors return in Nicholas Tamburrino (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) and Kevin Wright (Herndon, Va./Oakton). Tamburrino earned points at the Don Cathcart Invitational, while Wright’s highlight came with a 20th place finish at the AMCC Championships (31:37).

The returning juniors include Jesse Henderson (Taneytown, Md./Francis Scott Key), Calvin Shriver (Westminster, Md./Francis Scott Key), and Nicholas Weddle (Baltimore, Md./Northeast). All three made strong showings at the AMCC Championships. Henderson came in 18th (31:25), Shriver 36th (33:06), and Weddle 23rd (31:50).

Luy also singled out returning junior Max Maier (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg).

Maier improved throughout the season, culminating with a 30th place finish at the AMCC Championships (32:40) and earning points at the NCAA Regionals.

“He’s a runner who has shown great improvement since his freshman year,” Luy said.

A trio of track runners will make the crossover this fall and compete at the longer distances.

Junior Wes Jacobs (Baltimore, Md./Aberdeen) earned a pair of fifth place finishes in the 800-meter this past spring, with three top-15 finishes in the 1500-meter. Junior Sean Wright (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) had five top ten finishes in the 400-meter dash in his six races. Sophomore Miguel Montano (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) competed in the 800-meter and 1500-meter races, with a top finish of eighth in the 1500-meter at the Don Frail Invitational (4:34.36).

With the men’s roster consisting of eight runners in their first year with the cross country team, Luy expects contributions from a variety of sources such as freshmen Steven Henderson (Elkton, Md./North East), Ruben Wise (Upper Marlboro, Md./Bishop McNamara), Eric Williams (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen), Patrick Mead (Woodbine, Md./Century), and Anthony Schilling (Denton, Md./North Caroline) round out a deep and talented incoming class.

“It won’t be surprising to see a few freshmen end up in the top seven runners,” Luy said. “We very well could have a different top seven each week, which is a good thing.”

On the women’s side, junior Anne Patron (Baltimore, Md./Dulaney) and senior #Jessica O’Neil#(Mechanicsville, Md./Chopticon) are the only returners.

All-conference performer Anne Patron had five top-ten finishes in 2009, including a fourth place performance at the AMCC Championships (24.50), leading the team to a second place finish at the event. She also finished third at the Don Cathcart Invitational (22:23), fourth at the DeSales University Invitational (23:21), and fourth at the Gettysburg College Invitational (24:09).

“Anne is one of the best runners in the Mid-East region,” Luy said. “She’s a legitimate contender to go to the NCAAs.”

Jessica O’Neil earned a tenth place finish at the AMCC Championships (27:12), capping a season which also saw her place 30th at the Don Cathcart Invitational (24:32).

“Jessie is a fantastic hard worker who has a shot at being an all-conference runner,” Luy said.

Luy likes the potential he sees in freshman Jen Bower (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright).

“She can be a better collegiate runner than high school runner,” the coach said. “As the distance increases, she tends to run better.”

Owings Mills graduate Surmaria Tribble (Owings Mills, Md./Owings Mills) rounds out the freshman class. Kim Adams (Hagerstown, Md./South Hagerstown) is an experienced runner from Hagerstown C.C. and will be a welcomed addition to a thin women's team

“The focus will be on individual successes because of the small size of the team,” Luy said.

The schedule sets up favorably for the Bobcats’ young runners. After opening at Shippensburg University in early September, Frostburg heads to the Long-Short Course Invitational at Dickinson on September 18. It should give the Bobcats a chance to stretch their distances before hitting the meat of the schedule.

The month of October is highlighted by trips to the Don Cathcart Invitational, Gettysburg College and Elizabethtown College.

It all builds up to the Bobcats’ first appearance in the CAC Championships at Salisbury University in early November.