WESTFIELD, Mass. – For the seventh consecutive season, the Lesley University women's cross team won the 2014 New England Collegiate Conference Women's Cross Country Championship this morning at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass. The Lynx had three runners finish in the top ten and compiled a team score of 49 points, narrowly ahead of Elms College who finished in second place with 55 team points.
The Lynx were led by junior Emilia McGrath (Bowdoin, Maine) who registered a fourth place finish as she completed the course in 20:47 while freshman Alex Dimauro (Woburn, Maine) followed with a fifth place finish with a time of 21:27. Senior Arianna Thomas (Shrewbury, Vt.) captured tenth place when she finished at 22:14.
Fellow seniors Megan Lander (Ossipee, N.H.) and Caroline McCormack (Pembroke, Mass.) posted times of 22:49 and 23:09, respectively. Abbey Coppinger (Moultonborough, N.H.) led a trio of Lynx finishers with a time of 23:23, before Elena Pereira (Wilmington, Vt.), and Sarah Campisi (Saco, Maine) who crossed at 23:26 and 23:29.
Sophomore Sydney Altschuler (Durham, Conn.) finished at 23:56 while Rachel Asam (Coeymans Hollow, N.Y.) and Cristina Foyo (Cambridge, Mass.) rounded out Lesley's efforts on the day with respective times of 24:34 and 30:31.
Regis College captured third place with 78 points while Wheelock College earned 88 points to claim fourth place. Southern Vermont College finished in fifth place overall with 102 points. Mitchell College (167 points), Bay Path University (191 points) and Newbury College (222 points) rounded out the field.
Southern Vermont College sophomore Shelby Whitman (Bennington, Vt.) was named NECC Runner of the Year as she was the first runner to cross the finish. Whitman cruised the 5k course in a time of 20:26 to pace the Mountaineers.
Regis College sophomore Siobhan McLaughlin (Derry, N.H.) came in second with a time of 20:35 while Elms College freshman Sarah Tatgenhorst (Winterport, Maine) rounded out the top three as she crossed at 20:38. With her finish, Tatgenhorst was awarded NECC Rookie Runner of the Year.
Wheelock sophomore Torri Plank (Sandown, N.H.) claimed sixth place as she came in at 21:30 while Southern Vermont sophomore Schyler Maguire (Mechanicville, N.Y.) followed at 21:54. Regis freshman Sarah Backholm (Sutton, Mass.) registered an eighth place finish with a time of 21:57 before Elms senior Rachel Lehouillier (Belchertown, Mass.) crossed in ninth at 22:04.
Lesley University head coach Jonathan Alizio was voted as the NECC Coach of the Year in his first year at the helm of the Lynx. Southern Vermont College was award the NECC Team Sportsmanship Award.
2014 NECC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Shelby Whitman, Southern Vermont College
2014 NECC Women's Cross Country Rookie Runner of the Year
Sarah Tatgenhorst, Elms College
2014 NECC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year
Jonathan Alizio, Lesley University
2014 NECC Women's Cross Country Team Sportsmanship Award
Southern Vermont College
2014 NECC Women's Cross Country First Team All-Conference
Shelby Whitman, Southern Vermont College
Siobhan McLaughlin, Regis College
Sarah Tatgenhorst, Elms College
Emilia McGrath, Lesley University
Alex Dimauro, Lesley University
2014 NECC Women's Cross Country Second Team All-Conference
Torri Plank, Wheelock College
Schyler McGuire, Southern Vermont College
Sarah Backholm, Regis College
Rachel Lehouillier, Elms College
Arianna Thomas, Lesley University
Team Scores
=================================================================================
Rank Team Total 1 2 3 4 5 *6 *7 *8 *9
=================================================================================
1 Lesley University 49 4 5 10 14 16 20 24
Total Time: 1:50:28.05
Average: 22:05.61
2 Elms College 55 3 9 11 15 17 19 22
Total Time: 1:51:06.11
Average: 22:13.23
3 Regis College 78 2 8 12 25 31 33 35
Total Time: 1:54:01.51
Average: 22:48.31
4 Wheelock College 88 6 13 18 23 28 39 40
Total Time: 1:55:46.03
Average: 23:09.21
5 Southern VT 102 1 7 21 30 43 47 49
Total Time: 1:58:46.09
Average: 23:45.22
6 Mitchell College 167 26 27 29 34 51
Total Time: 2:15:12.83
Average: 27:02.57
7 Bay Path University 191 32 36 37 41 45 46
Total Time: 2:12:30.42
Average: 26:30.09
8 Newbury College 222 38 42 44 48 50
Total Time: 2:23:46.19
Average: 28:45.24