Cross Country Week 5 Report
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.—University of Maine junior Corey Conner (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex Regional) and Boston University graduate student Eric Ashe (Hanson, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) take home America East Performer of the Week honors for the fifth week of the season after each put up an impressive showing at the New England Championship meet at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass.
Conner finished the 5k course in a time of 16:54, earning the win at the New England Championship meet. The junior finished 28 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. The field consisted of 322 runners from 47 teams. Conner helped the Black Bears to a fourth-place team finish in the meet, tops among America East women’s squads. Grabbing the honor this week, Conner earns her third Performer of the Week award of the 2010 cross country season.
Ashe finished second overall in the men’s race in a time of 24:21 for the 8k course. Ashe paced the Terriers to a second-place finish in the meet as a team, the highest finish of any America East men’s team. The Terriers finished just two points behind meet-winner Dartmouth. Ashe finished 13 seconds behind the first-place finisher. He also was the top finisher among runners from Division I programs.
The University at Albany did not compete this weekend. The Great Dane men and women will be in action on Saturday, October 16 when they host the 44th UAlbany Invitational on the University Campus Course.
Binghamton Uninversity did not have a race on the schedule over the weekend. The Bearcats will next run on October 16 with the women competing at the Albany Invitational while the men will have a split squad, with part of the team going to Albany and part going to the Pre-National meet, hosted by Indiana State.
Boston University was among the five America East cross country programs to compete in the New England Championship at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass., site of the America East Championship on October 30. The men’s team finished second out of 47 teams at the meet, highest of any America East team. The women’s team finished 10th overall. In the men’s race, graduate student Eric Ashe paced the Terriers, completing the 8K course in 24:21, good for second place. Juniors Matthew Paulson (25:07/Manchester, N.H./Manchester Central/Union) and Peter Gilmore (25:08/Hanson, Mass./Whitman-Hanson) secured 17th- and 18th-place finishes, respectively, while classmate Robert Gibson (Brookline, Mass./Brookline/Texas) crossed the finish line in 25:20, good for 27th place. As a team, the Terriers accumulated 140 points, just two points behind champion Dartmouth (138). For the women, junior Katie Matthews (Rocky Hill, Conn./Rocky Hill) was the Terriers’ top runner, securing a sixth-place finish with a time of 17:44. Senior Kathleen Davies (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./St. Basil Academy) crossed the finish line on the 5K course in 18:08, good for 17th place. Boston U. will return to action on October 30 for the America East Championship.
The University of Hartford also competed on Saturday at the New England Championship. The men shared 27th place with New Hampshire while the women finished 31st. In the men’s race, each of the Hawks’ five scorers turned in significant personal records with senior Jonas Hampton (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) paving the way for the squad. Hampton was the 50th overall runner to cross the finish line with a time of 25:42, shaving almost 20 seconds off of his personal-best 8k time. Junior Andrew Chalmers (Ashland, N.H./Plymouth Regional) finished 67th overall in 25:52 for Hartford while classmate Eric Flaman (Walpole, Mass./Walpole) placed 136th overall with his time of 26:26. Rookie Megan Barry (South Yarmouth, Mass./Dennis Yarmouth Regional) paced the Hartford women, completing the 5,000-meter course in 19:33 for a 127th place finish, marking the fourth-straight meet that she has turned in the Hawks’ top finish. Senior Marisa Poleto (Albany, N.Y./Colonie) was the second scorer on Saturday, placing 188th and clocking in at 20:16. The Hawks return to the course on Saturday, October 16 at the Connecticut College Invitational held at Harkness Park in Waterford, Conn.
The University of Maine ran in the New England Championship, grabbing a ninth-place finish on the men’s side and a fourth-place finish in the women’s race. The men were paced by junior Riley Masters (Bangor, Maine/Bangor), who finished seventh overall with a time of 24:14. David Currier finished 24th overall, recording a time of 25:18. On the women’s side, junior Corey Conner once again shined for the Black Bears, winning the New England Championship race, finishing the 5k course in 16:54. Senior Jordan Daniel (Corinna, Maine/Mt. Blue) grabbed a 13th-place overall finish with a time of 18:01. Maine will not compete again until the America East Championship meet on October 30 in Boston, Mass.
UMBC was not in competition last week. The Retriever men and women will next compete at the Princeton Invitational in Princeton, N.J., on October 16.
The University of New Hampshire also participated in the New England Championship meet. The Wildcat men tied Hartford for 27th place. The men were paced by senior Alex Beaulieu (Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack), who finished 53rd overall in a time of 25:43. The New Hampshire women did not compete as a team. However, one Wildcat woman, senior Katherine Chwasciak (Webster, N.H./Merrimack Valley), ran in the event, finishing 171st in 20:02. The Wildcats will next compete on October 30 at the America East Championship.
Stony Brook University cross country did not compete last week. The Seawolves will be back in competition on October 16 with the men running in the Princeton Invitational in Princeton, N.J., while the women participate in the Pre-NCAA meet in Terre Haute, Ind.
University of Vermont cross country also ran in the New England Championship meet. The men earned a 22nd-place result while the women finished ninth as a team. The men were paced by junior John Little (New Ipswich, N.H./Mascenic Regional), who completed the course in 25:25, good for 36th place. In the women’s race, the Catamounts were led by junior Morgan Powers (Cincinatti, Ohio/Indian Hills), who finished 11th overall with a time of 17:59. Junior Bo Dunn (Harvard, Mass./The Bromfield School) finished 31st with a time of 18:26 for the course.