Skyhawks finish first among all Division II schools
NOTRE DAME, Ind. (September 16, 2011) – The Stonehill College women's cross country team, ranked 16th overall in the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) Division II preseason poll, raced to a sixth place finish overall out of 33 teams comprised of Division I and Division II teams on Friday afternoon at the National Catholic Championships hosted by Notre Dame.
The Skyhawks scored 198 points for its sixth place finish among all schools while Notre Dame won the invitational with 22 points. Dayton (61), Saint Louis University (117), Xavier (128) and Marquette University (170) followed to round out the top-five teams. In total, 11 Division I schools participated in the 32nd annual National Catholic Championships.
Among all Division II schools, the Skyhawks finished first with 48 points total taking three spots in the top-10. Bellarmine University placed second overall with 94 points and John Carroll University ranked third with 114 points.
Freshman Brianna Venturo (Taunton, Mass./Coyle & Cassidy) finished 29th overall among all schools and fifth overall out of all Division II competitors with a time of 18 minutes and 31 seconds on the 5-kilometer course.
Maura Ferrarini (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral) followed Venturo with a 32nd place finish and sixth place overall among all Division II schools in 18:36 while senior Jill Alves (Whitman, Mass./Whitman-Hanson Regional) clocked in at 18:41 (36th overall/8th Division II).
Sarah Biggers (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Lakeland) and Kristen Veit (Easthampton, Mass./Holyoke Catholic) rounded out Stonehill's top-five as Biggers crossed the finish line in 18:52 (49th/13th) and Veit came in at 18:55 (54th/16th).
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.
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