UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Assistant coach Angela Reckart kicked off her fourth year at Penn State this fall helping out with the men's and women's cross country teams, and following a successful fall, she is ready to move indoors with the track athletes and keep the success going.
Getting ready for cross country and then track with her student-athletes, Reckart emphasized the importance of summer training and pre-season workouts. The mileage athletes run throughout the summer significantly helps them prepare for a successful racing season. She encourages and motivates her runners so that they can be successful.
"Summer time is the time you put the work in for cross country. What is unique about this sport is that the work you put in during the summer and fall pay dividends to the remainder of the year, and directly impacts the success you have during the indoor and outdoor season. We had some athletes put in some solid summer training this summer and it paid off during the fall," Reckart said.
Having worked with the upperclassmen since they were freshman, Reckart has seen the growth of many of her runners. Senior Captain Colin Abert led the men's team on the cross country course while finishing first for the Nittany Lions almost every meet throughout the season, including a 16th-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals. This upcoming track season, he hopes to break his personal record in the mile of 3:59, which was an accomplishment in itself.
"You see these individuals put the work in day in and day out. You see what they are capable of accomplishing. For Abert, breaking four minutes in the mile and helping them achieve their goals, there is no greater feeling from a coaching standpoint," Reckart said.
Fifth-year senior Tim McGowan is expected to excel this indoor season as he enters his last season of eligibility. Last year he ran the second-fastest 5k ever in Penn State history with a 13:55 and looks to improve upon that.
Senior Jack McGowan is another leader for the men's team. Last indoor season he ran a personal best of 14:13 in the 5,000 meters.
"He was our number three guy for most of the season and I'm excited to see continue to grow and develop. Hopefully he can get some personal records and some points at the Big Ten," Reckart said.
The men's team also has an elite group of underclassmen. Between sophomore Alex Tomasko, sophomore Owen Wing and freshman Isaac Davis, these men help the team grow as a pact rather than individuals. Tomasko finished 18th, running his first ever 10K, all three finished in the top-30 for Penn State at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Championships in cross country this fall.
"These guys really took advantage of putting a lot of work in over the summer months and they work well together in training so I think the sky is the limit with this group," Reckart said.
The women's side has many impactful athletes that influence the overall team. Sophomore Alison Willingmyre and freshman Julia Paternain were the face of this team during the fall. They were often 1-2 for the Blue and& White on the cross country course course in the fall. Paternain came on to this team and immediately made a difference while also taking the competitiveness to a different level.
"Paternian obviously made an impact right away for this team finishing 10th at the Big Ten Championships and winning almost every meet in the fall. She clearly had a very nice transition coming here to compete. With the team setting that we do have, she really thrived off of that," Reckart said.
Junior Kathryn Munks set an example for the underclassmen, demonstrating that hard work pays off. Sophomore Moira O'Shea and Jordan Williams completed the pack having minimal experience with cross country.
"Both of those individuals did not run cross country in high school. They came in and really stepped up and one of them was our number five runner at every meet. The work and dedication they put in really paid off," Reckart said.
While the runners had success on the course and are ready to translate that to the track, it is the family mentality the team has that has Reckart so ready for the winter and spring.
Penn State is a place where our staff and athletes come together as family. Reckart feels that this community is what keeps the team in shape and wanting to achieve more.
"Being a part of Penn State is something like no other. We have a unique combination here where the entire team is brought in. Every event area is familiar with the distance runners' personal record or the jumpers' personal records. We have a family tight nit unit and I think that is why we have so much success."