Hokie ClubIf Eric Johannigmeier is feeling any pressure about replacing a legend in the distance running world, he certainly isn't letting on to anyone.
When asked the difference between him and Ben Thomas, he never flinched.
"I'm younger," he quipped.
Johannigmeier, though, knows that the expectations of Tech distance running certainly are no joke, as he begins his tenure as the head cross country coach and the overseer of Tech's distance programs. Dave Cianelli, the director of track and field and cross country, elevated Johannigmeier from assistant to head coach after Thomas, the Hokies' head man since 2001, took the head men's cross country and distance position at the University of Oregon.
Johannigmeier certainly keeps continuity within the program. He had served as Thomas' assistant for the past four seasons, helping to recruit many of the program's top current distance runners – like Peter Seufer, Diego Zarate, Sarah Edwards and Kayla Richardson – and then working with them individually.
He plans on being himself, but those in the distance world shouldn't expect a lot of changes in the Hokies' methods.
"Ben and I had kind of refined the training over the years and developed a system that has worked pretty well," he said. "We're always making little changes every year, and I feel like the kids have responded very well to what we've done over the last several years, so one thing with the transition, I want it to be as smooth as possible. There is not going to be much change on my end initially."
The cross country squads open the season Friday with the Virginia Tech Invitational, and that marks the start of a transition for a bunch that has become the most consistent part of Tech track and field and cross country. The men's and women's cross country teams finished second and third, respectively, last year at the ACC Championships, and those same distance runners scored the bulk of the Hokies' points at ACC meets during the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.
In cross country, the Tech women's team enters this fall a little more settled, as it seeks to build on back-to-back third-place finishes at the ACC meet. The group saw standout Katie Kennedy, a two-time All-ACC and All-Southeast Region performer, depart, along with Laurie Barton, who decided to transfer. But the rest of the roster returns intact.
Juniors Kayla Richardson and Sara Freix pace the 2018 squad. Richardson finished 20th at the ACC meet in 2017 to earn All-ACC honors and added All-Southeast Region honors with her 22nd-place finish at the NCAA Regional. Freix wound up in the top 50 at both of those meets, but she really shined during the track and field seasons, earning All-ACC honors in the 10,000-meter run and later qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Sarah Edwards also should be in the mix for All-ACC and all-region recognition in cross country. The junior actually earned All-Southeast Region honors after coming in 24th at the regional meet last fall.
"With the women, last year, we were so close to making nationals," Johannigmeier said. "I think that has given them motivation for this season … I'm really excited. We return a really good group."
The women's lineup also features middle distance specialist Rachel Pocratsky, who was a two-time, first-team All-American in the 800-meter run during the track and field season. Others vying to be in the Hokies' lineup include Lauren Berman, Shannon Quinn and Ellie Brush, along with freshmen Olivia Duston and Allie Zolkiewicz. Berman finished in the top 50 at both the ACC and regional meets and set personal bests in all distance events during track and field season last spring.
On the men's side, the Hokies need to do a little reloading after seeing longtime standouts Daniel Jaskowak, Neil Gourley, Patrick Joseph and Vincent Ciattei depart following stellar careers. Behind their talent and leadership last year, the Hokies qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the third time in six years, and they came in 20th place out of 31 teams.
The quartet also led the squad to second-place finishes at both the ACC Cross Country Championships and the NCAA Southeast Regional in 2017. Jaskowak, Gourley and Ciattei earned all-conference honors, while Jaskowak and Joseph earned all-region recognition.
The cupboard, however, is not bare, as Peter Seufer returns to the lineup following a breakout campaign in 2017. The redshirt junior earned All-ACC and All-Southeast Region honors, coming in seventh at the ACC Championships and ninth at the regional. Before running in those meets, he nearly won the prestigious Adidas Pre-National Invitational, finishing second with a career-best time of 23 minutes, 10.4 seconds (8K).
"The one thing about Peter that I like is that he's extremely competitive," Johannigmeier said. "There is no doubt in my mind that when the season gets started, he's going to want to beat as many people as he can. He's put himself in position to go after one of those All-America spots this year and be among the top three or four guys in the ACC. He's up for that challenge."
Tech also returns redshirt junior Jack Joyce and redshirt senior Andrew Goldman, but will be without Diego Zarate, who plans to take a redshirt season following a mid-August surgery to take care of a sports hernia. Zarate finished 32nd at both the ACC Championships and the regional last year, so he will be missed. Joyce came in 27th at the ACC Championships and 37th at the regional, while Goldman made the cross country lineup at the ACC Championships, and in track season, qualified for the finals of the 1,500.
Johannigmeier expects to see redshirt sophomores Fitsum Seyoum and Owen Buck take the next step in their development, and he likes what transfer Matthew Harding brings to the program. Harding, a native of North Wales, transferred from UNC Asheville, where he was the Big South indoor and outdoor Freshman of the Year in track and field.
In addition, six freshmen took redshirt seasons last fall. Could Blacksburg native Ben Fleming, or Richmond native Bashir Mosavel-Lo, or Pennsylvanians Dave Whitfield or Will Griffen help? Time will tell.
The 2018 Tech distance programs feature a nice blend of veterans and youth – and all with talent. Can that talent emerge for one program, or both, to make a run at an ACC title? Can it do so under a new coach who is replacing a legend?
Johannigmeier certainly welcomes the challenge.
"I'm super excited for the opportunity," he said. "For me, I just really am glad to be working at Virginia Tech with these athletes. This group of athletes are great to work with – they're outstanding students, outstanding athletes, outstanding people. I really enjoy working with them, and there is no other place I'd rather work at than Virginia Tech. With the resources we have and the school, it's just a great place to be."