By: Michael Pedro
It’s a new academic year here at Western New England University, and that means we have a new batch of up-and-coming student-athletes to interview.
First, I interviewed Austin Vale da Serra. A first-year mechanical engineering major from Berlin, Connecticut, and cross-country runner of seven years, Vale da Serra’s first impressions of college cross country were that it was a significant step up from his experiences in high school. “Being in a college program, I need to take (practices) a lot more seriously. Practicing the right way has helped me see improvement,” Vale da Serra noted. One thing Vale da Serra mentioned a few times was how the meets have played out so far. “So far, I think the meets have gone good,” Vale da Serra said. The cross-country team has had a decent start to the season, as despite their unfortunate result at Keene State to kick off the year, they were able to rebound the following weekend for an overall runner-up finish in the Steven A. Warde Invitational at SUNY Cobleskill. One thing he liked about the meets this year is how the team has run as a pack. “Running with the team, honestly, I really like it because we usually stay as a pack in the races, and it’s nice because you help push each other through the races,” he claimed. “You grow as a team, get faster together, and finish better.”
Next, I interviewed Carter Masse, yet another of the new cross-country runners. Also a first-year, Masse is a business major from Belchertown, Massachusetts. A cross-country runner of only three years, Masse has performed strongly this season. When asked about how the season has gone so far, Masse praised the team, saying that “(The season’s) going pretty good. We have a strong team and a good group of guys.” Masse had similar sentiments to Vale da Serra in regards to practice, noting that it is more challenging, “but in a different way. We just run more,” he said. When asked his favorite thing about the season thus far, Masse said “Honestly, just getting to know people and (making) new connections.”
