Hilbert College Women's Cross Country

Robert 'Bob' Krug (Crew-G) returned for his sixth season as Hilbert's Head Men's and Women's Cross Country programs and his second season at the Men's and Women's Track and Field coach at the start of the 2024-25 academic year. For the first time in program history, Krug guided three Hilbert runners to postseason honors in the same fall season.  Maddie Fusco and Avery Cusack each earned their second All-Conference honor after finishing in the top 15 at the 2023 6K Championship meet while Nick Baritot collected the men's program's very first all-conference honor in the 8K distance. Besides working with talented athletes this fall, Krug was busy preparing for a very early Meghan Memorial Race the first weekend of September.  He then had to organize and prep the Hilbert community as the Hawks hosted the AMCC Championship races at Delaware Park at the end of October.  Both programs, the Hilbert Men and Hilbert Women finished in 3rd place for the second consecutive year.  Along the way, Baritot established a new Hilbert men's 5K time at the season-opening Meghan Memorial (17:16.5) and concluded his year with a new 8K record (28:14.7) October 28th.  Meanwhile, Maddie Fusco was training all season long in 5K races and set a new time (19:08.3) at the October 14th Canisius Invite.  She raced her first 6K at the AMCC Championship and clipped the finish line in 3rd but set the program record (23:31.2) at the Niagara Region of the NCAA Division III regional race November 11th. The 2022 men's team manufactured the most successful season in program history.  They opened the year with a program's highest finish at the Daniel Walker Invite (2nd place) then collected a 1st place finish at the 14th annual Meghan Memorial Race.  The women's team also found success on the trails, taking a 1st place finish at the Daniel Walker Invite.  The Hawks earned their highest place finish at the Harry F. Anderson and a 3rd place at the CCOC.  Both the men's and women's teams took home a third place finish at the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship race.  Krug has guided four women's runners to All-AMCC honors including Maddie Fusco, a back-to-back Female Athlete of the Year (2022-23, 2023-24). Fusco graduated as Krug's most decorated runner after just two years of competition. The 5-7 Hamburg High School graduate holds program records in both the 5k and the 6k while also recording the program's fastest times in the 800m, 1000m, 3000m, mile (indoor), and 800m, 1500m, 5000m (outdoor). .  McKenzie Gaffney collected back-to-back medals her first two championship races at Hilbert (Covid Spring 2021 and fall 2021),  Kristine Twoguns earned All-Conference honors in the Covid 2021 Spring Championship and Avery Cusack led the Hawks in the fall 2021 season with her first honor as a rookie runner.  The 2021 women's team finished in the top three at the fall AMCC Championship Race, a first for any cross country team at Hilbert. The 2020-21 men's cross country team earned the AMCC Team Peak Performer Award while the women's team collected the program's seventh Team Peak Performer Award in 2021-22. The Buffalo native was a two-year head coach at Villa Maria, having served in that capacity since January 2017.  During his tenure, Krug brought his Vikings to Hilbert College's annual Meghan Memorial Invitational and competed as an unattached runner both years. Krug is a life-long runner and has been very active in the Western New York running community.  He and two friends created the BNAC running club in 2009 with aspirations of making running fun again.  He continues to serve as the Race Director for the Peace and Love Run while participating in multiple local races throughout the year. Krug has served as a volunteer assistant coach for both cross country and track at Hutch Tech, working side-by-side with legendary coach, David Sardo since 2012. After retiring from a 15-year career as a Senior Caseworker in the Erie County Department of Social Services, Krug currently works for the City of Buffalo Parks Department.    He earned his bachelor's  degree in social work in 2001 from The State University of Buffalo at Buffalo State College, where he is also working towards his master's degree in human services. updated July 2, 2023

Brunger, Geoffrey Christiano, Joe Couell, Rick Crowley, Paul Culhane, John Czarnecki, John Czarnecki, John D'Amico, John Darnley, Dan Dauria, Marissa deGrandpre, Rob deGrandpre, Rob Devine, Molly Diegelman, Matt Diegelman, Matthew Doherty, Taylor Downes, Yvonne Fittry, Drew Graham, Melissa Graham, Melissa Griffin, Marne Hall, John Haq, Kushnood Hartman, Jeffrey Heraty, Patrick Hoak, Chris Hobar, Mary Ann Jackson, Wyann Keem, Lisa Kongats, Indrek Krueger, Christopher Lanphere, Andrew Leggio, Sean Mabon, Mary MacLean, Scott Manning, Sean Martoche, Katie McFeely, Don Morris, Dr. Nicholas Peri, Greg POSITION, OPEN Rehbaum, Kara Reilly-Nowak, Carraugh Reinholz, John Roland, Dan Sarow, Dennis Schunke, Rick Smith, Amy Smith, Stacey Starchok, Kelly Starchok , Kelly S Sturm, Jim Talbi, Selim Teeter, Dr. Jennifer Toughey, Brendan Troutman, Cody Trzybinski, Pete Vandergriff, Janessa Vincent, Ph.D., Don White, Fred Zitnik, Kyle  Full Staff  expand Geoff Brunger returns for his sixth season as the head coach of the men and women's cross country teams in August 2016 and takes on a new challenge of building an outdoor track program in the spring. The Hawks have shown great growth in ability and depth since Brunger took over the cross country program in 2011. Brunger surrounded Kylie Reinholz, a 3x All-Conference runner and the 2013 AMCC Newcomer of the Year as well as the 2014 AMCC Women's Runner of the Year, with steady and strong runners as they lifted the women's program to a historical all-time high in 2015. At the same time, Brunger molded his men's cross country runners into mentally tough guys who have elevated the 2015 team to another all-time AMCC highlight season. Since his first championship meet in 2011, where the women's team amassed a 351 points (9 of 9 teams), Brunger has transformed the women's program and led them to a 5th place finish (123 points), cutting over 200 points off, in 2014. The men's team has also shown improvement each season under Brunger's leadership. His 2011 harriers earned 301 points but a fast forward jump to 2014's, and the Hawks raced to 227 points in the AMCC championship. Then in 2015, things got serious. The women's team claimed a 4th place AMCC finish collecting 130 points and the men sprung to a 5th place finish with an impressive 167-point session. Brunger is a committed coach with a long-standing record of success.  He maintains a tremendous connection within the running community and provides the positive, never-quit attitude the program requires. With over thirty years of coaching in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda school district, Brunger feels the hallmark to his career has been his dependability and dedication to the student-athletes. "If a coach expects student-athletes to attend practice and give their full effort each day, then that coach must model those characteristics for team members," said Brunger. "I won't ask any thing from my athletes that I personally haven't done myself. I look forward to challenging the Hawks and giving them the mental tools they need to push to the next level". In 1977 he assumed his first head coaching position at Kenmore East high school as the outdoor Track and Field coach. He retained that title until 2008, just before he retired from his Social Studies teaching position, then served as the assistant coach for the next two seasons. During his tenure, the Bulldogs secured three divisional championships and took home one NFL championship crown. Over the years, several runners qualified for the NYSPHSAA championships meet multiple times with four co-eds earning medals. Brunger's active cross country leadership role is rooted back to 1981 when he coached the Kenmore Middle school modified team for three seasons. In 2000 he assumed the assistant role only to become the head coach one year later. Beginning in 2001, Brunger held the head coaching position for both cross country and track and field squads simultaneously. During the 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons, the harriers were NFL champions twice, Section VI Class A champions twice, NYSPHAA Class A runner up, and were Team State Qualifiers twice. Brunger is an educator for life. In addition to his successful teaching career (New York State Social Studies Supervisor of the Year, Who's Who Among America's Teachers, Who's Who in America, Who's Who Among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs) he served as the K-12 Social Studies Coordinator for the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Public Schools. Outside the classroom he was selected as Kenmore East Coach of the Year for his dedication to the student-athletes. Having earned his bachelor's degree in history from Alfred University and masters from Canisius College, Brunger taught for 39 years before retiring in 2010. Bailey, Robbi Baun, Dylan Brunger, Geoff Brunger, Geoffrey Christiano, Joe Couell, Rick Crowley, Paul Culhane, John Czarnecki, John Czarnecki, John D'Amico, John Darnley, Dan Dauria, Marissa deGrandpre, Rob deGrandpre, Rob Devine, Molly Diegelman, Matt Diegelman, Matthew Doherty, Taylor Downes, Yvonne Fittry, Drew Graham, Melissa Graham, Melissa Griffin, Marne Hall, John Haq, Kushnood Hartman, Jeffrey Heraty, Patrick Hoak, Chris Hobar, Mary Ann Jackson, Wyann Keem, Lisa Kongats, Indrek Krueger, Christopher Lanphere, Andrew Leggio, Sean Mabon, Mary MacLean, Scott Manning, Sean Martoche, Katie McFeely, Don Morris, Dr. Nicholas Peri, Greg POSITION, OPEN Rehbaum, Kara Reilly-Nowak, Carraugh Reinholz, John Roland, Dan Sarow, Dennis Schunke, Rick Smith, Amy Smith, Stacey Starchok, Kelly Starchok , Kelly S Sturm, Jim Talbi, Selim Teeter, Dr. Jennifer Toughey, Brendan Troutman, Cody Trzybinski, Pete Vandergriff, Janessa Vincent, Ph.D., Don White, Fred Zitnik, Kyle  Full Staff  expand Geoff Brunger returns for his sixth season as the head coach of the men and women's cross country teams in August 2016 and takes on a new challenge of building an outdoor track program in the spring. The Hawks have shown great growth in ability and depth since Brunger took over the cross country program in 2011. Brunger surrounded Kylie Reinholz, a 3x All-Conference runner and the 2013 AMCC Newcomer of the Year as well as the 2014 AMCC Women's Runner of the Year, with steady and strong runners as they lifted the women's program to a historical all-time high in 2015. At the same time, Brunger molded his men's cross country runners into mentally tough guys who have elevated the 2015 team to another all-time AMCC highlight season. Since his first championship meet in 2011, where the women's team amassed a 351 points (9 of 9 teams), Brunger has transformed the women's program and led them to a 5th place finish (123 points), cutting over 200 points off, in 2014. The men's team has also shown improvement each season under Brunger's leadership. His 2011 harriers earned 301 points but a fast forward jump to 2014's, and the Hawks raced to 227 points in the AMCC championship. Then in 2015, things got serious. The women's team claimed a 4th place AMCC finish collecting 130 points and the men sprung to a 5th place finish with an impressive 167-point session. Brunger is a committed coach with a long-standing record of success.  He maintains a tremendous connection within the running community and provides the positive, never-quit attitude the program requires. With over thirty years of coaching in the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda school district, Brunger feels the hallmark to his career has been his dependability and dedication to the student-athletes. "If a coach expects student-athletes to attend practice and give their full effort each day, then that coach must model those characteristics for team members," said Brunger. "I won't ask any thing from my athletes that I personally haven't done myself. I look forward to challenging the Hawks and giving them the mental tools they need to push to the next level". In 1977 he assumed his first head coaching position at Kenmore East high school as the outdoor Track and Field coach. He retained that title until 2008, just before he retired from his Social Studies teaching position, then served as the assistant coach for the next two seasons. During his tenure, the Bulldogs secured three divisional championships and took home one NFL championship crown. Over the years, several runners qualified for the NYSPHSAA championships meet multiple times with four co-eds earning medals. Brunger's active cross country leadership role is rooted back to 1981 when he coached the Kenmore Middle school modified team for three seasons. In 2000 he assumed the assistant role only to become the head coach one year later. Beginning in 2001, Brunger held the head coaching position for both cross country and track and field squads simultaneously. During the 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons, the harriers were NFL champions twice, Section VI Class A champions twice, NYSPHAA Class A runner up, and were Team State Qualifiers twice. Brunger is an educator for life. In addition to his successful teaching career (New York State Social Studies Supervisor of the Year, Who's Who Among America's Teachers, Who's Who in America, Who's Who Among Executives, Professionals and Entrepreneurs) he served as the K-12 Social Studies Coordinator for the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda Public Schools. Outside the classroom he was selected as Kenmore East Coach of the Year for his dedication to the student-athletes. Having earned his bachelor's degree in history from Alfred University and masters from Canisius College, Brunger taught for 39 years before retiring in 2010.