Harriers enjoy record setting performance
CHICOPEE, MA - Seven members of the cross
country team ran personal bests last week en route to a fourth
place finish at the Blazers Invitational hosted by Elms College at
Chicopee Memorial State Park. Kate Needham (North Conway,
NH) again led the Wildcats with a first place finish and
career best 22:59, shaving close to a minute off of her former
personal best.
"I was happy with the effort from everyone," second year head
coach Bryan Mahoney said. "Kate ran a great race and I was
happy to see her break 23 minutes, which is a big step forward for
her."
Freshman Kaila Simon (Norwalk, CT), competing in
only her second NCAA event, dropped her time on the 5K course to
24:01, a 1:47 improvement from the previous week at Daniel
Webster.
"Kailah has been nothing short of impressive in her first two
races with us," Mahoney said. "I look forward to seeing how far she
can push herself throughout the rest of the season."
Needham finished 28th out of 84 runners, while Simon
was in 34th place. Junior Caitlin Burke's
(Westborough, MA) performance was by far the best of her
season and her career. Her time of 25:39 put her in third place for
the Wildcats and 51st overall.
Elizabeth Connolly (25:44; Belchertown, MA) took
fourth for Wheelock in her first NCAA meet, while Maria
Sideri (25:51; North Andover, MA) and Cara
McAuliffe (25:53; Nashua, NH) improved by over two minutes
from the previous week to win points for the Wildcats. Sophomore
Sarah Negron clocked in at 26:55, 90 seconds
better than her previous top performance.
For the women, UNE finished first as a team, collecting 19 points,
while Johnson & Wales (56), Lesley (61), Wheelock (150), New
England College (154), Mount Ida (170), and Eastern Nazarene (197)
followed. Bay Path, Curry, Elms and Newbury did not record a team
score.
The team returns to action this Saturday at Gordon College, taking
part in the Pop Crowell Invitational.
