THE TOTAL TEAM
Men and women make a run for the national championship.
If cross-country were a spectator sport, the word "dynasty" might be bandied about campus Vin Lananna's harriers have been tops at the Heptagonals (the Ivyschools plus Army and Navy) for five years running. But the big newsthis year isn't that the men's cross-country team competed at the NCAA championships; this was its third year in a row. What Was new in '88 was that the men traveled to lowa and stood on the sidelines and cheered women's cross-country to a twelfth-place finish. Later that day the roles were reversed and the men finished fifth.
The 1988 NCAA race marked the first time that Dartmouth men's and women's teams competed together at a national event. It was something of a milestone that in the year the College celebrated the advent of coeducation, two teams,which train side-by-side in the hills of Hanover, literally gave the scholarship-granting state schools a run for their money.
Sending two teams to the national championship is the result of a philosophy that track is team effort. Recruitment literature boasts that no rigid lines are drawn between the sexes in terms of coaching, resources, or attention.
"[Women's Coach] Peter Fox Smith and I sit down every week and plan an agenda," said Lananna , the men's coach. "We try to keep the programs on the same workout schedule." The team effort extends to meets: both squads have the same competition schedule and travel together. The harriers have friendly faces cheering them on, and Lanannasays this approach fosters team spirit."What you get is a feeling of is Dartmouth Cross-Country as opposed to men's cross-country or women's cross-country."
The race at lowa State University's Jester Park capped a banner season for the women. For Pam Crandall '88, who led the Green, the end of the race brought that special sadness that hits seniors. "This year's team is the beginning of Dartmouth women's joining the men in doing reallywell in cross-country and track," she said wistfully. "I'm honored to have been a part of it, but I'm sad that I'm not going to see it at its best."
The men's fifth-place showing came an hour after Crandall crossed the finish line. The finish (last year the team came insecond ) recalled Lananria's preseason observation that the men weren't as deep up front as pastteams. "By and large, we had a really good effort," Lananna said. "For Dartmouth to be fifth of the 300 or so men's crosscountry programs in America is impressive."
For the record, senior co-captain Tom Paskus '89 led the team and finished forty-first overall in a time of 30:19.
Pam Crandall '88 led all Green women at the NCAAs.
Standings as of January 12.1989Men's Basketball 7-4, 1-0 Ivy. Struggled on December road trip to Tennessee, but opened ss "S'i ivy campaign with a convincing, 103-90 dumping of Harvard. Women's Basketball 6-3,0-1 Ivy. Lost Ivy opener at Harvard. 81 67. Showed potential, though, by drubbing Mississippi State of the SEC, 64-33. on December trip. Men's Hockey 2-9-1, 1-6-1 EC AC. Lots of shots but few goals; have lost five games by one goal. Goaltending h;ts kept team in games.
