LOUDONVILLE, NY – In anticipation for the 2020-21 season, Siena Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach John Kenworthy announced the addition of 16 new runners to the team. 11 male and five female student athletes will join the Saints as part of the squad's 2020-21 incoming recruiting class.
"Signing this class was incredibly rewarding," Kenworthy said. "I think this group is full of 'Siena' people who will fit our culture, values, and our campus community as well."
Lorenzo Bianchi | Clifton Park, NY | Shenendehowa HS
Bianchi helped his squad win the 2018 & 2019 Class A Section 2 Cross Country Championships and was also part of the 4x800m relay that qualified for the 2020 New York State Indoor Track Championships. His personal best times include a 2:39.36 in the 1000m, a 9:29.13 in the 3k and a 16:02 at the famous Saratoga State Park course.
Griffin Cooke | Clifton Park, NY | Shenendehowa HS
Cooke helped his team capture the 2018 & 2019 Class A Section 2 Cross Country Team Championships, and also was part of the 4x800m relay team that qualified for the 2020 New York State Indoor Track Championships. His best times include a 1:25.71 in the 600m and a 1:58.51 in the 800m, as well as a 16:05 at the Saratoga State Park course.
Christopher DeForest | Terryville, CT | Terryville HS
The 2019 Connecticut Class S Cross Country Individual Champion, DeForest placed 11th at the 2019 CT State Open meet, and also took home championships in the 3200m during the 2020 Class S indoor and 2019 Class S Outdoor Championships. His personal bests include a 9:03.45 in the 3k and a 16:32 at the storied Wickham Park course.
Patrick Fiorillo | Brightwaters, NY | St. John The Baptist School
A three-time New York Federation Championship Qualifier, Fiorillo's best times include a 4:37.92 in the 1600m and a 9:18.89 in the 3k. Both of his older sisters, Annie '20 and Emily '23, have played on Siena's women's lacrosse team.
Ben Guerin | Ballston Spa, NY | Ballston Spa HS
A 2019 National Championship Qualifier in the mile, Guerin notably took home the title at the 2019 Queensbury Cross Country Invitational. He boasts best times of 4:18.65 in the 1600-meter race and 8:54.31 for the 3k and ran a 15:26 on the Saratoga State Park course.
Killian McNamee | Tolland, CT | Tolland HS
The 2017 Connecticut Class M Cross Country Individual Champion, McNamee helped his team capture the Class M title in each of his four seasons (2016-19). He logged a top-3 finish at the CT Class M Championships seven different times, and also placed inside the top-30 at the New England Cross Country Championships twice. McNamee has logged a 4:20.94 in the 1600m and an 8:53.68 in the 3k, and also recorded a 16:21 at the Wickham Park course.
Thomas Ragone | Niskayuna, NY | Niskayuna HS
Ragone matriculates to Siena after capturing the Class A Section 2 Cross Country Individual Championship in 2019 and helping his team win the title in 2017. His best times including a 4:23.44 mark in the 1-mile and a 9:40.35 in the 3200-meter race, while his time of 15:11 at the storied Saratoga State Park course is good for a top-40 all-time mark.
TJ Randall | Latham, NY | Shaker HS
A local product, Randall qualified for the 2020 New York State Indoor Track Championships in the 1000m race. He has run personal bests of 2:36.99 for the 1000m, 4:25.80 in the 1600m, 9:41.63 in the 3200m and a 15:47 at the Saratoga State Park course.
Ryan Shanahan | Halfmoon, NY | Shenendehowa HS
A member of the 2018 & 2019 Class A Section 2 Cross Country Team Champions, Shanahan also logged top-30 individual finishes at the 2019 championship and the NXN Regional Championship. He has run a 4:29.30 in the 1-mile and a 9:05.78 for the 3k and clocked a 15:29 at the Saratoga State Park course. Shanahan also played lacrosse for three years of high school.
Jimmy Smith | Pittsford, NY | Â Pittsford Mendon HS
Smith aided his team in capturing the 2019 Section 5 Cross Country Championship and was the individual Sectional Champion in the 3200m during the 2020 Section 5 Indoor Track Championships. He also qualified for the 2020 New York State Indoor Track Championship in the 1600m, the 2018 New York State Cross Country Championships individually, and placed 16th at the New York State Class B Cross Country meet in 2018. Smith's best times include a 4:27.94 in the 1600m and a 9:55.88 in the 3200m.
Bryan Spence | Clifton Park, NY | Shenendehowa HS
Spence was also part of the 2018 & 2019 Class A Section 2 Cross Country Team Champions and placed 23rd individually at the event in 2019. He has clocked a 4:27.33 in the 1-mile and a 9:43.12 for the 3200-meter, and also ran a time of 15:32 at the famous Saratoga State Park course.
Coach Kenworthy on his 2020 men's incoming recruiting class: "I couldn't be happier with this incoming men's freshmen class. We're adding some of the best seniors in the Northeast to our roster, all of whom have extensive championship experience and successes in both cross country and track. This group is deep, experienced, and race savvy. Better yet, they are great students, and are leaders and team-first athletes. We're lucky to have a great group of men returning this fall, so we have high goals short term and long term for the program, and these freshmen, either in their freshman seasons, or beyond, are going to be a big part of that."
Miranda Gilbert | Oswego, NY | Oswego HS
Gilbert qualified individually for the 2017 & 2019 New York State Cross Country Championships, as well as the 2019 New York Federation Championship. A three-time Section 3 Class A Track Champion in the 1k, 3k and the 1500m, she has run a 4:56.95 in the 1500m and a 10:48.74 in the 3000m.
Meghan Gough | Feura Bush, NY | Bethlehem HS
Gough qualified for the New York State Federation Cross Country Championships in 2017, and has run best times of 2:22 in the 800m and 5:15 in the 1500m.
Katharine Hesler | Schenectady, NY | Niskayuna HS
A 2020 National Championship Qualifier in the 5k, Hesler also qualified for the 2019 New York Federation Cross Country Championships. She placed inside the top-20 twice at the Section 2 Class A Championships and has run a 7:35.49 in the 2k steeplechase, as well as a 10:40.95 in the 3000m.
Jennifer McClintock | Clifton Park, NY | Shenendehowa HS
McClintock was part of a team that has won six straight Class A Section 2 Track titles, including indoor and outdoor championships in each of the last three years. The 2018 Suburban Council Indoor Track 1k Individual Champion, she placed second at the Class A Section 2 Championships in the 600m and was part of the 4x400m relay that won the 2020 Class A Section 2 title. Her best times include a 2:20.4 in the 800m.
Isabella Painter | Painted Post, NY | Addison HS
Painter was part of a team that took home the Section 4 Cross Country Championship three times and was a three-time New York State Cross Country Championship qualifier individually, with her best finish coming in 2015. She was part of her school's 4x800 meter team that broke the school record and has run a best time of 5:13.47 in the 1500m.
Coach Kenworthy on his 2020 women's incoming recruiting class: "Our women's program is making leaps and bounds every year, and this group of incoming freshman women are definitely going to help keep that momentum headed in the right direction. We're lucky that most of our incredibly deep roster from 2019 is returning, so having the opportunity to add these freshmen into that pack is a great bonus for our short-term goals and even more so down the road. I am extremely excited for this group of women. They all bring something unique to the table, and I believe all of them are ready to develop and make big contributions to the program."
