The 1998 season proved to be more and more exciting as the year progressed for the MWC men, as the young group of five freshmen and four juniors seemed to improve with every race. After opening the season with a will in a dual meet with Washington & Lee University, the Eagles managed a seventh-place at George Mason, which was primarily a Division-One race. That finish seemed to spark the Eagles, who went on to finish fourth at the Frostburg Invitational before winning the Virginia State Championship in Newport News. The men finished second at the Mason-Dixon Invitational, then brought home the Capital Athletic Conference championship for the seventh time in eight years, led by the CAC Runner of the Year Jason Van Horn, and the CAC Rookie Runner of the Year Travis Jones.

 

Although the season ended in a disappointing fifth-place finish at NCAA Regionals, with a strong returning squad and several top newcomers, the Eagles should fare even better in NCAA competition in 1999.

 

Those returnees should include Van Horn, who has won two CAC Rookie of the Year and a Runner of the Year awards in his three seasons of varsity competition, Travis Jones, who took second place in the CAC Championship, and other top pacers in all-conference runners Jim Dlugasch, Marc Jones, Brien Roberts, and

Brian Walsh. Also back in stride will be Dan Greene, Marty Martonik and John Rock, a 1997 all-CAC performer.