Last season the freshmen on the Terrapin men’s cross country team did not get to adjust to the collegiate level of competition before they were forced into races and expected to perform.

This year, the now-sophomore runners will be expected to lead a very young team that only has three upperclassmen.

“Last year as 18-year-olds they were like, ‘So this is college,'” coach Michael Garrison said. “And now they’re ready to take the next step.”

Adjusting to the collegiate level of competition on the fly was not an easy task for the sophomores.

“We gained a lot of experience being put in the fire,” sophomore Richie Booth said.

Of the 12 teams competing in the ACC championship meet, only Georgia Tech had as many freshman runners as the Terps.

“Last year basically they were thrown to the wolves, they got beat up, and now they have learned, and they are going to have a great year,” senior Peter Hess said.

The team only graduated one senior last season, but Tyler McCandless, one of last season’s top runners, transferred to Penn State.

The team is confident, however, that he will not be missed. Sophomores Josh Davis and Zach Martinez competed in every race last season, and fellow sophomore Jake Travers only missed the final race due to a calf injury.

“We have the runners to take his spot and then some,” senior captain Pat Reaves said.

Hess, who sat out all of last season with mononucleosis, will rejoin the team this year, and freshman Greg Kelsey, who won the 2,000-meter steeplechase at the Nike Outdoor Nationals meet, leads a talented freshman class.

Behind the sophomores, the team looks to improve from a 10th place finish in the ACC championship competition.

“They have made some amazing progress from that first year,” said Garrison. “They are all demonstratively better.”

Youth served

The Terps were one of only two teams last year with five freshman runners.

Team                       ’05 Freshmen        Team               ’05 Freshmen

1. Virginia                   1                 7. Clemson              2

2. Florida State           0                8. North Carolina        4

3. N.C. State              2                9. Boston College        2

4. Wake Forest            2               10. TERRAPINS           5

5. Duke                     3                 11. Miami                  3

6. Virginia Tech          3                12. Georgia Tech        5

Contact reporter Kyle Wannen at sports@dbk.umd.edu.