Riverdale, N.Y. - Competing in the ECAC Championship Division for the first time in school history, the Marist women's cross country team concluded its 2012 season with a school-record performance and two All-East individual performances, en route to a seventh-place finish at the 28th annual meet, held Saturday at Van Cortlandt Park.
Sophomore Michelle Gaye placed eighth overall in the 5,000-meter race in 18:09.8, earning All-East honors for the second consecutive year. In 2011, Gaye finished second in the ECAC University Division. Her time on Saturday was a Van Cortlandt Park school record for the 5km course. It is the second consecutive school-record time recorded by Gaye, as she broke the Marist mark for 6km at the NCAA Northeast Regional last week.
Freshman Kristen Traub placed 12th overall and was the top freshman in the field, completing the 5km course in 18:23.7. That place earned her All-East honors as well.
Senior captain Katie Messina closed out her collegiate cross country career with a Van Cortlandt Park personal-best time of 18:48.5. Rounding out the scoring pack were sophomore Erin Thompson (49th, 19:15.7) and freshman Nicolettie Nesi (57th in a personal-best time of 19:26.3). Freshman Christine Coughlin (59th, 19:29.5) and senior Rebecca Denise (69th, 19:38.9) also notched personal-best times.
"The ladies had a great debut in the Championship Division and truly showed they belonged there,'' Marist Director of Cross Country and Track Pete Colaizzo said. "This was a fitting end to a fantastic season for our women's team.''
28th annual ECAC Championships
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
Team standings, Championship Division
1-JMU 54, 2-Columbia 94, 3-Princeton 108, 4-St. Joseph's 118, 5-LaSalle 130, 6-Duquesne 138, 7-Marist 143, 8-Delaware 153, 9-Rider 215, 10-Temple 273, 11-Iona 293, 12-Georgetown INC
Individual results, 5,000-meter course
8-Michelle Gaye 18:09.8 *ECAC All-East
12-Kristen Traub 18:23.7 *ECAC All-East
27-Katie Messina 18:48.5
49-Erin Thompson 19:15.7
57-Nicolette Nesi 19:26.3
59-Christine Coughlin 19:29.5
69-Rebecca Denise 19:38.9
76-Erin O'Reilly 19:48.0
87-Rachel Bremer 20:17.1
89-Brianna Freestone 20:22.5
90-Brianne Vess 20:40.4
91-Kelley Gould 20:49.0
Coaches Association Race
5,000-meter course
10-Annie Gould 21:11.4
17-Mariella Bilello 21:49.2
18-Rachel Lichtenwalner 21:53.4
20-Laura Lindsley 22:13.7
21-Lizzie Peper 22:24.7
27-Catherine Ferreri 23:57.8
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