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| Skyhawks capture their 10th conference championship overall in program history scoring 39 points |
NE-10 Championship Interviews with Maura Ferrarini and head coach Karen Boen |
WESTFIELD, Mass. (October 23, 2011) – The Stonehill College women's cross country team, ranked 14th overall in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division II national poll and first in the East Regional poll, claimed its third-straight Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10) championship and 10th in program history overall at Stanley Park on Sunday morning.
Stonehill's depth was the difference as the Skyhawks placed four runners in the top 10 and seven runners in the top 20 to take first place honors with 39 points. Bentley University finished second overall with 82 points while Saint Michael's ranked third with 149 points.
"The great thing about our women is the depth of our team," said NE-10 Men's and Women's Coach of the Year Karen Boen. "As strong as they ran today I really think they have a better race in them at Regionals."
Junior Jeptui Cherutich (Springfield, Mass./Maji Mazuri Girls) of American International College earned top individual honors covering the 5-kilometer course in 17:39.34.
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| Maura Ferrarini earned NE-10 All-Conference First Team honors with her 3rd place finish. |
For Stonehill, senior tri-captain Maura Ferrarini (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) led the way with a third place finish overall in a time of 18:12.58 to earn NE-10 All-Conference First Team honors for the first time in her career.
"Maura has been such a great contributor to the team so for everything to come together for her at the right time was great to see," said Boen.
The Skyhawks depth was on display after Ferrarini crossed the finish line as Stonehill placed its next eight runners in the top-25 of the meet.
Sophomore Sarah Biggers (Cortland Manor, N.Y./Lakeland) followed in seventh place posting a time of 18:22.28 to also earn NE-10 All-Conference First Team honors for the first time in her collegiate career.
Junior Stephanie Wilson (Wayzata, Minn./Hopkins) finished eighth overall in 18:25.14 and Chelsea Bishop (Suffield, Conn./Suffield) rounded out the Skyhawks pack in the top-10 with a ninth place finish in 18:27.94.
Biggers earned NE-10 All-Conference First Team accolades for her performance – the first honor in her collegiate career – while Wilson and Bishop were both named to the NE-10 All-Conference Second Team.
Joining Bishop and Wilson on the NE-10 All Conference Second Team was junior tri-captain Kristen Veit (Easthampton, Mass./Holyoke Catholic) who ran to a 12th place finish overall in a time of 18:31.78.
Stonehill also placed four members of its team on the NE-10 All-Conference Third Team for nine total on the day as senior tri-captain Jill Alves (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson Regional) finished 15th in 18:34.85, senior Kristen Mahoney (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) was 17th (18:38.28), junior Caroline McBride (North Reading, Mass./North Reading) raced to 20th place (18:42.42) and freshman Sarah Wilson (West Suffield, Conn./Suffield) rounded out the all-conference winners finishing 21st overall in 18:42.74.
The Skyhawks, who won their 10th NE-10 Championship in program history today, have also won titles in 2000-2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009-2011.
Stonehill looks to capture its third-straight NCAA Division II East Regionals team title when it returns to action on Sunday, November 6 at Franklin Park in Dorchester, Mass.
- www.stonehillskyhawks.com -
