University of Florida - Tower / Seminole Yearbook (Gainesville, FL)

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1) K. Rotberg I came to Florida because of its running program. I knew that Coach Randolph was a great coach and the cross country team had a lot of tradition backing it up, said senior Bill Cason. Cason, a transfer student from Furman University, came to Florida after the Furman track program folded due to a lack of funds. Switching schools as a senior was difficult, but Cason said his involvement in the cross country team and his teammates helped make the transition easier. The team really has a family type atmosphere around it. Everyone is supportive of each other and we tried as hard as we could to help each other out as well as the team. The support helped me through my transfer. — Bill Cason Senior Men ' s Track 113

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Second in the SEC The men ' s cross country team finished second behind Tennessee in the Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championships for the third consecutive year. Runner Bill Cason finished fourth in the meet with a time of 24:20. Cason was followed by John Rogerson in sixth place, Mike Blaney in eighth and Mike Bilyeu twelfth. Other finishers included Roger Sutton, Eric Joffre and Steve Conway. The cross country team had an outstanding season, shutting out their in all five regular season meets. In the season opener against Santa Fe Community College and Florida Track Club, Florida dominated the competition, capturing the seven top positions. Mike Bilyeu finished first in the four mile run while teammates Mike Blaney, Bill Cason, Steve Conway, John and Eric Joffre filled in the other six spots. Even though half the cross country team failed to place in the Run for the Stars Invitational, those who did place grabbed top honors. Bilyeu finished first with Cason following in third, Conway in fourth and Joffre in seventh. With their efforts, Florida won the race and boasted a 2-0 record. The third meet of the season was the third first place win for both Florida and Bilyeu. Also placing in the five mile State Invitational meet were (3rd), Cason (4th), Blaney (7th), (15th), and Roger Sutton (16th). In the Furman Invitational no Florida runner placed better than fourth, but Florida still went on to collect their fourth consecutive win. The Gators final meet was the Florida Invitational. Rogerson dazzled the home audience by finishing first, his only win of the season. Other top finishers were Cason in fourth and Blaney in fifth. After the SEC Championship, Florida went on to be the fourth best cross country team in the NCAA District Ill Regionals. Rogerson finished first among the Florida runners capturing ninth place in the meet and an option to attend the NCAA Championships. Rogerson placed 69th at the NCAA ' s with a time just over 31 minutes. — Tina Gonsalves 1) Mike Bilyeu was th e winningest member of the team with three first place finishes while ex-Navy runner John Rogerson was the only runner to represent Florida at the NCAA Championships. 2) First row: Mike Blaney, Tripp Godfrey, Mark Pietrofesa, Eric Joffre, John Rogerson, John Thrailkill. Second row: Michael Bilyeu, Roger Sutton, David Strahl, Bill Cason, Steve Conway, Bart Sellers, Coach John Randolph. (Opposite page) 1) Senior Bill Cason was the top SEC runner in his first year at Florida. I) Sports Information 112 Track

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I) N. Feanny Women Finish First In SEC The Lady Gator cross country team, along with its determined head coach Lyle Knudson, rounded out the season with numerous first place finishes and a Southeastern Conference Championship. Shelly Steely finished first in the Lady Gators opening meet, the Florida Junior College Invitational. Steely was followed by teammates Beth Farmer and Gina Procaccio who placed fourth and sixth respectively. The University of North Florida Invitational was the first team win for the Gators. The team, led by Steely in first position and Farmer in second, overtook the four other competitors by scoring 25 points. The team ' s second meet came during the Florida State University Invitational. Again, Steely captured the first place position followed by Farmer in second. At the University of Florida Invitational, the women ' s cross country team made the home crowd proud by finishing in first place. In the three mile race, Steely recovered her first place form and Farmer finished in second place. Not only could the football team win an SEC title, but so could the Lady Gator cross country team. Enhancing the team ' s top finish was Steely who was the top SEC finisher. The final team finish of the season occurred at the NCAA Regional II Overall, the Gators took place out of 23 teams competing. Steely finished first in the race, Farmer placed 13th and Procaccio finished 19th. All three finishers went on to individually at the NCAA Nationals. Shelly finished second. Later, Steely along with teammates Farmer and Procaccio, competed for Club Florida in the USA Nationals. sixth place finish earned her a spot on the women ' s USA team that will compete in the World Cross Country Championships in Portugal. The top eight finishers in the USA Nationals qualify for the USA team. Farmer and Procaccio finished 29th and 97th, respectively. — Tina Gonsalves 1) The women ' s cross country team had one of their best seasons with several first place finishes and an SEC title. 2) Two-time All-American Beth Farmer competed for Club Florida at the USA Nationals. Opposite page: 1) All-American Shelly Steely ran her way to the top of the SEC. 2) From left: Shelly Steely, Gina Procaccio, Cecilia Muldoon, Maria Sanders, Joan Hammeren, Beth Farmer, Sonja Braasch, Sandra Braasch. 114 Cross Country