NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - The Marist women's cross country team repeated as champion of the Ted Owen Invitational, hosted by Central Connecticut State, on Saturday.
The Red Foxes totaled 35 points to top the 11-team field. Second-place Central Connecticut State finished with 83.
As a team, Marist enjoyed one of its best days in program history. Sophomore Michelle Gaye (Greenlawn, N.Y.) ran the fastest 5K cross country time in school history at 17:40.46, which earned her second place overall. Senior captain Katie Messina (Queensbury, N.Y.) ran her first sub 18-minute time in 5K for cross country, as her 17:59.27 mark was good for third place. Freshman Kristen Traub (Wayne, N.J.) was fourth overall in 18:01.57.
Completing the top for the Red Foxes were freshman Nicki Nesi (Pelham, N.Y.) and freshman Christine Coughlin (Latham, N.Y.), who placed 12th and 14th, respectively. Marist's top five had the fastest combined time and average time in school history.
"We knew coming into the season that this team had a chance to be the best team in school history, and we took a big step toward reaching the goal today," Head Coach Chuck Williams said. "By setting the individual school record and getting the team record so early in the season, we're ahead of where we through we were going to be, and we're looking forward to seeing how the season is going to finish out."
Marist will return to action on Friday at the Paul Short Run, hosted by Lehigh.
CCSU Ted Owen Invitational
Stanley Quarter Park, New Britain, Conn.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Women's team standings
1-Marist 35, 2-CCSU 83, 3-Hartford 116, 4-UConn 120, 5-Bentley 121, 6-Wagner 124, 7-Rhode Island 173, 8-Northeastern 177, 9-Southern Connecticut 201, 10-FDU 309, 11-Franklin Pierce 318
Women's individual results (5K course)
2-Michelle Gaye 17:40.46
3-Katie Messina 17:59.27
4-Kristen Traub 18:01.57
12-Nicki Nesi 18:46.76
14-Christine Coughlin 18:51.36
15-Erin O'Reilly 18:55.11
17-Erin Thompson 19:02.95
22-Brianna Freestone 19:14.87
37-Rachel Bremer 19:41.67
41-Kelley Gould 19:45.14
44-Brianne Vess 19:54.37
48-Jackie Gamboli 20:07.99
50-Tara Nuccitelli 20:08.94
57-Mariella Bilello 20:24.51
61-Annie Gould 20:31.78
73-Rachel Lichtenwalner 21:01.34
80-Elizabeth Peper 21:32.32
81-Laura Lindsley 21:33.60
90-Catherine Ferreri 22:16.89
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