As the cross country season begins for the Saints of Aquinas College, the team has depended on two seniors to help pace the way for the Saints. Senior Scott Assenmacher (Hartland) and Lisa Wojciakowski (Lowell) have helped the Saints jump off to a fast start in 2006.

The season opened for the Saints, ranked third in the NAIA National Rankings, on September 8^th as they hosted their annual meet at Riverside Park. Assenmacher, who is competing in his first cross country race since 2004, posted the fastest time for the Saints with a time of 25:26  That performance makes Assenmacher the fourth fastest Saint all-time at Riverside Park. Assenmacher followed up his opening day performance by garnering a third place finish in the Calvin College. Assenmacher led the Saints for the second week in a row with a personal best of 25:09 this in the invite. His performance in the Calvin Invitational is the fastest time for an Aquinas runner in the past 15 years.

Lisa Wojciakowski has helped set the pace for the women’s cross country team in 2006. Wojciakowski, led the Saints, ranked 16^th in the NAIA National poll, in their opening meet at the Aquinas Invitational at Riverside Park. Wojciakowski placed 9th at the Aquinas College Open with a time of 19:02. Her time was the second fastest performance ever recorded for a Saints’ runner at Riverside Park. In the Saint’s second meet of the year, Wojciakowski again led the Lady Saints with a time of 19:06, good enough for a 12^th place finish in the Calvin College Invitational.

The Saints next meet will be on September 30^th at the Greater Louisville Invitational in KY.