YSU runners face challenging schedule

YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State men's and women's cross country teams will face a challenging schedule in 2002.
The Penguins will compete in six meets prior to the Nov. 2 Horizon League Championships held in Chicago. YSU begins the season Sept. 7 at the Penn State University Spiked Shoe Invitational.
The Penguins will also compete in the Malone Invitational, the Iona (N.Y.) Meet of Champions, the Notre Dame Invitational, the All Ohio Championship in Delaware, and the Division I Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, Ind.
Following the Horizon League Championships, YSU will compete at the Great Lakes Regional hosted by Purdue University. The 2002 NCAA Championships will be held Nov. 25 at Indiana State.
The men's squad finished third at the Horizon League Championships last season. Returning runners are senior Jim Tatarka, who finished 12th at the league meet, and juniors Matt Paullin and Tony Orcena, who placed 15th and 22nd, respectively.
The women will be anchored by last year's Horizon League newcomer of the year, Emily Schnitkey. At last year's league meet, she finished seventh overall with a personal-record time to earn the award and first-team all-conference honors. The women's team finished fifth.