Pirate Moments Presented by BURG: Lucky 13
7/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
The 2014-15 year was another to remember in Seton Hall Athletics, as the Pirates continued to rise in their second year as a member of the revamped BIG EAST Conference.
Highlighted by three NCAA Regional berths (Volleyball, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf), there was no shortage of memorable moments across all 14 varsity athletic programs as Seton Hall student-athletes continued to honor and further the university's proud athletic tradition.
Over three weeks, SHUPirates.com in conjunction with BURG will reveal its countdown of the year that was.
LUCKY 13
The hallmark of a good team is consistency. Its strength is not centered on any one individual but instead a collective group that boasts a number of members who, on any given day, can step in to elevate their performance and help maintain the standard.
What made the Seton Hall men's cross country team formidable throughout the 2014 campaign was just that. After welcoming a total of 11 newcomers to the fold over the last two seasons, coach John Moon's roster is replete with runners capable of leading the pack.
The Pirates shot out of the gates with four consecutive top-three team finishes to start the year, with three different team members pacing the squad during the impressive stretch.
In the final tune-up for what would ultimately prove to be the most successful championship season in recent memory, The Hall headed to Easton, Pa. for the Leopard Invitational.
At the 8K distance, it was senior John Walsh who became the fourth different Pirate to lead SHU in a span of six races; heading up the team's scoring group for the first time in his career by placing seventh among all Division I entrants.
Freshman Bryant Cordova and John's brother Kevin Walsh were the next two Division I runners across the line, giving Seton Hall a trio of finishers among the top-nine in the field. Newcomer Jeff Larson narrowly missed adding a fourth top-10 time, coming in 11th for his fourth scoring time in his first six collegiate races
Routinely a top performer for SHU throughout his three years in South Orange, junior Ryan Flannery was just two spots behind in 13th to round out the team's top-five.
The Walsh brothers, Cordova, Larson and Flannery had all scored for the Pirates in their previous outing at the Metropolitan Championships and repeated the feat to help power The Hall into the conference meet with a runner-up finish at the Leopard Invite.
It was the second time in 2014 that the team had landed five individuals within the top-13 overall with the other coming during another second-place showing at the Hofstra/St. John's Fall Festival. Sophomores Sean Kip (15th), Cameron Quisenberry (16th), and senior Tyler Orner (20th) all added top-20 times, giving Seton Hall seven total finishers among the top-20 Division I competitors.
John Moon's squad would go on to display their promise in full with underclassmen accounting for 11 of the 15 scoring times across three championship races.
With 14 runners set to return and another stout class coming in, you can expect to see more of the same this upcoming fall.
