Brianna Venturo

Freshman leads Skyhawks to sixth place finish at National Catholic Championships

EASTON, Mass. (September 19, 2011) – Stonehill College freshman Brianna Venturo (Taunton, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy) has been named the Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) Athlete and Rookie of the Week by the league office, it was announced earlier today.

At the National Catholic Championships comprised of Division I and Division II teams last Friday, Venturo guided the Skyhawks to a sixth place finish overall and first place finish among all Division II teams with a time of 18 minutes and 31 seconds on the 5-kilometer course.

In Venturo's first-ever collegiate race, the freshman placed 29th overall amidst the whole field and fifth among Division II teams. Venturo was also the first NE-10 Conference runner to cross the finish line in the meet hosted by Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

Venturo joins the Stonehill women's cross country team after a standout career at Coyle & Cassidy High School. Venturo holds school records in the one mile (indoor) with a time of 5:13, one mile (outdoor) in 5:15 and two-mile (outdoor) in 11:33.

The Skyhawks return to action on Saturday, September 24 at the 44th Annual Codfish Bowl Franklin Park (Dorchester, Mass.; hosted by UMass Boston) at 10 a.m.

- www.stonehillskyhawks.com -