For Harvard Cross-Country the NCAA Division 1 Regional qualifiers loom large for this weekend at Van Courtlandt Park in New York City.

The women are looking to finish out an injury-riddled season with a positive experience, while the men are gunning to redeem a disappointing performance at Heptagonals two weeks ago.

"We have good reason to be excited," said Coach Frank Haggerty. "We were disappointed at Heps and now we're eager to do something a little more to our liking."

Captain Scott Muoio and junior Dave Martin also harbor personal disappointments from last year's NCAAs. Martin missed out on qualifying by a scant few places, and Muoio was struck down with an unknown virus,

"I was in bed for a week," said Muoio. "I thought I was going to die,"

Haggerty hopes that all five scoring runners will place in the top 40, keeping Harvard in competition with powerhouse running schools like Dartmouth, Iona, and Providence.

The women's team has been decimated by injuries this past season. Captain Margaret Schotte is nursing a knee injury, and Kate Moynihan is also out with a knee injury.

Half the runners have never raced at the level of competition they will face this weekend. Chief among the women's goals is a positive experience for these runners and a race they can be proud of.