GA Cross Country Looks to Continue Progress in the 2014-15 Season

McKeesport, Pa. - Mark Bacco and his men's and women's cross country teams look to continue their stride on the competition in the 2014-15 campaign.

For the men, the squad returns two of their top five male student-athletes as sophomore Marcus Slivinsky (Plainville, Ct./Plainville) and senior David Buckholtz (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy) come back the team to continue their progress. Sophomore John Lukart comes to Greater Allegheny from the Penn State Fayette campus, where he was All-PSUAC in 2012.

The team welcomes two freshmen to the mix, Codie Buglar (Pa./Yough) and Nathaniel Muse (Staten Island, N.Y./Petrides). Coach Bacco said, "Both of these young men have a great chance to have very successful freshman seasons. Both of the student-athletes were key members of their high school teams, and we look forward to having their skills apart of the team."

On the women's side, they return two dual-sport athletes to continue their progress through the PSUAC. Sophomore Rachel Ramsey (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) returns an All-American from last year, as she finished the #2 overall female runner in the Penn State Univsersity Athletic Conference alongside notching herself in the top 15 female student-athletes overall in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. Sophomore Melissa Loftus (Oxford, Pa./Oxford) returns as a very talented runner who achieved a top ten overall finish in each of her races last season. 

Freshman Amanda Trimble (Pa./Chartiers Valley) completes the athletic trio, as she is an Olympic-level speed skater as well as talented distance runner.

The Penn State Greater Allegheny men's and women's cross country teams look to their first meet this Saturday, as they will travel to Westmoreland County Community College for a 9 a.m. start-time.