She’s not big – standing a little more than 5 feet – but she has the heart of a lion and the will to win, no matter what it takes.

Senior Leanna Nastase is a two-time captain and one of the biggest reasons why the Bucknell women’s cross country team could repeat as Patriot League champion.

Nastase, who began her running career at Forest Hills, didn’t know that cross country would be the sport that would become her passion.

Apparently she chose wisely, becoming a four-year letterwinner. She earned two all-state nominations during her stellar high school career as a Ranger.

“I still have no idea,” Nastase said when asked why she chose cross country. “I attribute it to my high school coach. I knew him before I started running in high school and he told me that I should try long distance running.”

Nastase also participated in track and field at Forest Hills. She was a four-year letterwinner and earned all-state honors and was team captain as a senior.

“I would definitely choose cross country over track and field,” she said. “But track is growing on me more and more.”

Nastase took what she learned at Forest Hills and transferred it to Bucknell.

It helped that she already knew the cross country and track and field coach at Bucknell.

“I knew Leanna a few years before she arrived at Bucknell,” said Kevin Donner, who coaches the cross country and track teams at Bucknell. “She used to come to many camps when I was the coach at St. Francis. I knew right then this was a girl I wanted to coach. When I accepted the job at Bucknell, she was a junior at the time, and that’s when I started the recruiting process to get her here at Bucknell.”

The biology major quickly became one of the team’s top runners in her freshman year. She finished first for her team, and fourth overall, at the Detroit Invitational. Nastase scored for Bucknell in every race, as well as placing 22nd in the Patriot League Championships.

Unfortunately, a stress fracture in her upper femur kept her out of the season-ending Mid-Atlantic Regional and ECAC Championships, two of the premier races on the schedule.

“It was really frustrating,” she said. “I had doubts of even continuing collegiate running. I didn’t know what would have happened if I continued to run, so I was pretty upset about it.”

She recuperated from her leg injury and continued training for the track season.

“Since then, she has been one of the most consistent and strongest runners that I have ever had at Bucknell,” Donner said.

It showed in her sophomore year, when Nastase was the top Bison finisher in five of seven races. She finished 12th in the conference championship and picked up All-Patriot League second-team honors.

The all-conference runner became a leader for the cross country squad her junior year. She finished sixth in the conference championships while helping lead the team to its first Patriot League title since 2001.

Nastase spent this past summer on the Bucknell campus with fellow team captains Jenny Stevens and Erin Cranmer-Hart.

“This year, she’s very fit,” Donner said. “She had a very outstanding summer of training with Jenny and Erin. Those three are our top runners and the three of them training together made for some improved performances this summer.”

As well as being a returning letterwinner and Patriot League honoree, Nastase is also a returning captain. She was picked unanimously by her teammates both times.

“I think communicating with your team makes you a good leader,” she said. “I think being responsible and always being someone people can count on to call you, no matter what type of situation they are in – on or off the field – makes you a good leader.”

Donner certainly is happy to have her on his squads.

“She is one of the most consistent runners that I have ever had and I think that’s how she leads by example,” he said.

“She gets along will with everyone on the team and she organizes a lot of team functions, which I think helps the team jell as a group and bond well.”

This season the expectations are higher. The women’s cross country squad is picked first in the Patriot League preseason polls as it strives to repeat its title for the first time since winning four straight trophies from 1998-2001.

In addition to the conference crown, one of the biggest goals for the squad is to qualify the team for the NCAA championship meet at the end of the season.

“We realize the potential for this team since we return our top five girls from last season,” Nastase said. “The whole attitude of the squad has changed to more of a goal-oriented mood.”



Damien Williams is a member of the Bucknell Athletic Communications office.