Alves, Carmone claim individual titles; Skyhawks earn All-Conference honors in six events

BOSTON, Mass. (February 17, 2011) – Stonehill College, ranked fourth in this week’s U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II East Regional index, placed fourth overall at tonight’s Northeast-10 Conference Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships, hosted at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center.

The Skyhawks totaled 78 points to finish behind team champions Southern Connecticut State University (155), University of Massachusetts Lowell (113), and the University of New Haven (112). It marks the first time in the last seven years that Stonehill has finished outside the top three at the conference meet.

Junior Jill Alves (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) and sophomore Erin Carmone (Riverside, R.I./East Providence) led the way with individual victories as the Skyhawks earned All-Conference recognition across six events. Alves captured the 1000m title in 3:00.28, earning her second career conference championship after finishing first as part of last year’s 4x800m relay squad.

Erin Carmone led a 1-2 finish for the Skyhawks in the 5000m run. (PHOTO BY Richard Orr)

Carmone, a three-time champion, logged a season-best 18:38.04 to place first in the 5000m run, leading a trio of scoring finishers in the event. Right behind her in second place was sophomore Caroline McBride (North Reading, Mass./North Reading), crossing the line in 18:39.86 with her first All-Conference performance, and sophomore Stephanie Wilson (Wayzata, Minn./Hopkins) placed fifth in 19:13.21.

Three Skyhawks also posted scoring performances in the 3000m run, led by junior Kristen Mahoney (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) in second overall with a time of 10:27.77. Senior Amanda Tripodi (Darien, Conn./Darien) followed in 10:37.34 for fourth place, and freshman Emily Regan (Hanson, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) added a point in the sixth slot in 10:48.01.

Junior Maura Ferrarini (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) continued a strong season in the mile with a third-place finish in 5:11.73, her fastest time of the season. She also ran a leg of the distance medley relay with sophomore Kristen Veit (Easthampton, Mass./Holyoke Catholic) and freshmen Melissa Ulcena (Billerica, Mass./Billerica) and Chelsea Bishop (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) as the Skyhawks placed second in 12:47.47. Stonehill also claimed a second-place finish in the 4x800m relay as Alves, senior Lindsey Booth (Franklin, Mass./Franklin), junior Christen Carrier (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Central) and freshman Sarah Biggers (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Lakeland) teamed up for a mark of 9:49.17.

Leading the field performances for Stonehill was freshman Meaghan Olin (Goshen, N.Y./Goshen), who toppled her own program record in the pole vault as she cleared nine feet, 5.75 inches for fourth place overall. Sophomore Olivia Dyson (Reading, Mass./Reading) also challenged her own school record in the high jump, placing fifth with a leap of five feet, 3.75 inches to match her record mark at last year’s conference meet.

Stonehill returns to action next weekend at the New England Championships, to be held on February 25-26 at the Boston University Track & Tennis Center.