BRONX, NY - The Marist College women's cross country team ran to its best finish in close to a decade at the Iona College Meet of Champions Saturday at Van Cortlandt Park, placing seventh overall out of 19 team in the field.
The team totaled 173 points and bettered the Red Foxes' 11th-place 2010 finish (383) by more than 200 points. It was the Red Foxes' highest finish in the meet since 2003, when Marist placed third out of 10 teams.
Freshman Michelle Gaye led the way for Marist on Saturday, covering the 6,100-meter course in 22:58.74. Gaye placed 11th overall out of a field of 202 runners.
Senior Addie DiFrancesco was the second Red Fox runner across the line, placing 29th in 23:32.50. She was followed closely by freshman Erin Thompson, who was 30th in 23:30.70. Senior captain Briana Crowe (24:01.90) and freshman Brianna Freestone (24:07.30) rounded out the scoring for the Red Foxes. Crowe was 50th overall and Freestone placed 54th.
The Red Foxes return to action next Saturday at the Ted Owens Invitational, hosted by Central Connecticut State University.
Team standings: 1-Iona 84, 2-Penn 86, 3-Brown 89, 4-Albany 105, 5. Lehigh 125, 6. Army 144, 7. Marist 173, 8. Columbia 174, 9. Edinboro 190, 10. St. John's 238, 11. Fairfield 334, 12. Shawnee State 350, 13. Findlay 407, 14. Temple 410, 15. Manhattan 453, 16. Millersville 486, 17. Hofstra 510, 18. West Florida 516, 19. Siena 549
Marist individual results 6,100 meters
11. Michelle Gaye 22:58.74 29. Addie DiFrancesco 23:32.50 30. Erin Thompson 23:30.70 50. Briana Crowe 24:01.90 54. Brianna Freestone 24:07.30 59. Katie Messina 24:13.47 76. Jackie Gamboli 24:40.24 92. Tara Nuccitelli 25:00.82 94. Kathryn Sheehan 25:04.64 100. Rebecca Denise 25:08.84 106. Erin O'Reilly 25:13.12 109. Dayna McLaughlin 25:14.98 113. Colleen Smith 25:17.29 117. Kara Lightowler 25:19.75 129. Elizabeth O'Brien 25:29.74 134. Alex Davis 25:32.58 155. Laura Lindsley 26:00.83 160. Kelley Gould 26:08.11
