Sept. 7, 2006
Young Women's Squad Filled With Potential in 2006
    The Youngstown State women’s cross country team will be without a returning all-conference runner for the first time in four seasons, but head coach Brian Gorby has assembled a talented young squad with the potential to stay competitive in the Horizon League this season. 
    YSU’s top two runners from last season, four-time All-Horizon League runner Emily Schintkey and Gina Mavrikis, have handed the torch over to lone senior Marielle Glanz three other sophomore returnees. Gorby has also added two middle distance runners from the track squad and brought in four freshmen to the 2006 squad.
    "This group has a great amount of potential," Gorby said. "They’re a very young and inexperienced team, but they’re improving every minute during workouts as we try and get them accustomed to the training program and the higher miles."
    Glanz battled through nagging injuries last season but still managed to score in every meet and finish 57^th at the Horizon League Championships. Prior to last season, Glanz finished 28^th in the conference as a sophomore and 34^th as a freshman. A middle distance runner by trade, the Liberty Center, Ohio, native has two top-five finishes in the conference in the 800-meters to her credit. 
    "Marielle has put a great summer together and is minutes ahead of where she was at this point last year," Gorby said. "Her leadership and experience will be big for us."
    Amy Moore is the top returning underclassman, having scored in every meet and placing 65^th at the Horizon League Championships. Madelyn McGhee and Genevieve Jerome both have a year under their belts, and Shantel Jackson and Kari Kreutzfeld will make their collegiate cross country debuts after a season in track. Jackson earned two top-five finishes in the conference in the 800-meters last season, and Kreutzfeld finished in the top-five twice in the 400 as primarily a sprinter.
    Dawn Goodwin, a graduate of Black River High, is the top incoming freshman with a 15th-place finish at the Division III Ohio state meet with a time of 19:35. Laura Yamsek also has state championship experience, running a time of 20:33 as the fifth scorer for Brecksville-Broadview’s seventh-place team in Division I. Lisa Lee from Norwalk High and Jen Roman of Cleveland Rhodes High complete the incoming class.
    "All four of our incoming freshman have the potential to be very good. Dawn and Laura have run in big meets in high school, and Lisa and Jen have both had great starts. They just need to stay consistent with the training and let the learning curve take place."