Three years ago, every cross country article written for Pipe Dream was detailing the successes of the women’s team, while the men’s team struggled. In two short years, those roles were reversed. All the years of rebuilding and developing were in preparation for a title run — and the efforts were not in vain. The men’s team made history, winning its first-ever America East championship this season.

I have been the beat writer for the cross country teams for the past four years. I was given the position as a freshman with no previous experience with news-writing, let alone sports-writing; but my experience with cross country and my passion for sports in general propelled me to what I’d like to think was moderate success. I think I had a great experience these last four years watching a program literally pick itself off the ground to become a champion.

My first article in the paper was covering the Binghamton Invitational back in 2006. I watched as the women did well while the men’s squad looked young and inexperienced. This would be the theme for the next two seasons: the women’s team showing progress and success led by star Katie Radzik, while the men’s program was plagued by injuries and poor performances.

Every article I wrote focused mainly on the females, and when I mentioned the men’s team, it was an afterthought and an attempt to be as complete as possible. Every feature story was on Radzik’s success and how she was boosting her team.

However, in the span of a few months, just two years ago, the dynamics of the cross country teams changed drastically: Radzik quit the team for personal reasons, the men’s team made progress with a huge recruiting advance with the transfer of Erik van Ingen from Canisius College, multiple runners began to develop and Chris Gaube returned from injury. With the emergence of van Ingen and a revamped squad, the men’s team suddenly became something worth writing about.

Led by van Ingen and Gaube, the men’s team had a stellar season in 2008. The team won the Baltimore Invite and the Buffalo Stampede. A 20th-place finish at the Lehigh Invite marked the team’s best overall performance at the meet in program history. The 2008 season was the season of redemption. After years without achievements or accolades, the Bearcats were turning into a team with the potential of contending for success.

Despite having a self-described bad day, the men’s team finished a program-best third at the America East championship meet last year. Gaube and van Ingen finished third and fourth at the meet to lead their team.

Coming into this current season, it had become apparent that the two teams were in opposite roles than they were in three years ago. The men’s team assumed the position as the dominant team and the women’s squad appeared to be headed for a rebuilding year.

After the Lehigh Invite, where the men’s team finished 11th out of 42 schools, it dawned on me that they were going to be very good. The Bearcats were the highest-finishing AE school and that 11th-place finish was a program-best at the Invite.

The pinnacle of this season was the AE championship meet. In the eyes of the runners, it was a chance at redemption. It was a chance to avenge the off day from the year before. It was a chance to give their program the success it so desperately craved.

The team dominated the meet. Van Ingen grabbed the individual title, Gaube finished second and the Bearcats won their first-ever America East crown by a large margin.

Despite the great successes of the team this year, in the realm of sports that fans enjoy to watch and follow, cross country is not ranked high. The issue is that for most people, they don’t appreciate the sport. Running five to six miles at a break-neck pace is an amazing feat that not many people can get interested in.

I know most Binghamton students didn’t care that the team won the AE title. They didn’t care that there was a home meet. They didn’t care that van Ingen qualified for the national championship. I don’t expect this will generate a lot of interest from students, but this column is my way of showing support for a deserving team.

It is too bad that the fan base is low, but the team has family and friends to give the support they deserve. They also have the loyal attention of a Pipe Dream reporter who has had the honor of watching them progress from bottom feeders to champions.