For some time, Quinnipiac men’s cross country didn’t have a coach. In the last three seasons, it hasn’t finished above eighth of
eleven teams in the MAAC Championships.
The Bobcats’ recent woes pose questions for concern. Will Quinnipiac ever know a team that can place in the top half of its conference?
Men’s cross country has been dealt an extremely difficult hand, there’s no sugarcoating it. But at this point, the Bobcats are used to being the underdog. Their entire roster in 2023 wasn’t enough to fill a starting lineup in a baseball game.
“There was a time where we had no coach at all,” senior Keegan Metcalfe said. “I’ll just say that I am really happy to have coach (David) Scrivines as part of our organization and as our head coach. “It goes more than just the coaching duties though, he’s helped me plenty of times with other things I’ve got going on in my life.”
Scrivines joined Quinnipiac’s coaching staff in 2022 after a five-year stint as Fairfield cross country’s head man. His tenure wasn’t revolutionary, but Scrivines was able to rebuild a dying roster and see his runners improve.
It’s called baby steps for a reason, and that’s exactly the kind of mindset the Bobcats need. A program can’t achieve a complete turnaround in one season, especially in Quinnipiac’s situation, but there might be some promise.
“We’ve had a lot of hard times through this program in the last five years, thankfully with coach Scrivines getting added to the team, the team’s been a lot more stable and much better off,” graduate student Andrew Woodbine said. “This team has gotten a lot better under him, and the longer he stays, I feel the better each of his teams will be.”
With a handful of newcomers joining the team, there are sure to be growing pains. But there are a couple of new faces
who are sure to make an impact.
Freshman Alex Saldana led Quinnipiac at the Stony Brook opener on Aug. 31 with a ninth-place finish in the 5k. But he wasn’t the only fresh meat on the course. Six of the Bobcats’ newest seven competed, with another standout, Slater Von Stetten finish-
ing 35th.
“The best way to lead is by example, and setting a good example, both Keegan (Metcalfe) and (Woodbine) do a great job of that, they’re great people and do a great job of setting a good example in practice,” Scrivines said. “Communicating with the
guys, making sure everyone’s on the same page, could be clarifying something or just making sure everyone has what they need.”
Metcalfe, a veteran on the Bobcats, ran a personal best 10K at the 2023 NCAA Region Northeast championship, finishing in 35:31.8. He will be a key component for the Bobcats in 2024 both on and off the track.
“I remember exactly what I felt like when I was in their shoes,” Metcalfe said. “It wasn’t, in all honesty that long ago, I know what they are going through, I’m just trying to support them and make sure they know what they need to do and clarify anything they need, showing them the ropes and just trying to be a good leader.”
Quinnipiac men’s cross country isn’t complete by any means. It’s not perfect, it’s not comparable to its opponents. But the drive to work hard is a light that can’t be dimmed.
“My drive is definitely just for the betterment of the team,” Woodbine said. The reason I came back for a fifth year is to help the team as much as I could before I left. The thing that keeps me going for however many weeks the season is, is to support the team and lead them the best I can.”
There won’t be a MAAC Championship plaque in Scrivines office anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean Quinnipiac can’t take a step in the right direction.
