Cross Country Set to Host Northeast Conference Championships on Saturday

Central Connecticut State University will host the 2010 Northeast Conference men's and women's cross country championships on Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at 11 a.m. at Stanley Quarter Park. The men's team is the defending champions, after winning their first-ever NEC title last fall under coach Eric Blake. Blake has since taken over the women's program, and both teams will be competing for the NEC title on Saturday in New Britain.

NEC Cross Country Championship Headquarters

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

The men's cross country team enters the NEC Championships after a strong season which saw them claim a pair of victories and a third place finish at the New England Championships. Central began the season with a fourth place finish at the Blue Devil Invitational, junior Jeremy Schmid led the way with a fourth place finish in the 8K. After defeating the University of Hartford in a dual meet the Blue Devils then hosted the Ted Owen Invitational. A meet that the Blue Devils won behind the two-three finish of junior Sam Alexander and senior Ry Sanderson.

The third place finish at the New England Championships is perhaps the high point of the season so far for the Blue Devils, as they defeated all but 2 teams in a field of 47 at the event. The Blue Devils second victory of the season came last week at the CCSU Mini Meet, sophomore Craig Hunt was victorious in the 5K as Central placed seven runners in the top ten.

The Blue Devils have two victories in three events at Stanley Park this season, and will be led by Sanderson, Alexander, and Hunt who have all earned NEC Athlete of the Week honors this season.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

The women's cross country team has improved every week in their first season under coach Eric Blake. The Blue Devils began their season with a seventh place finish at the Blue Devil Invitational, but rebounded quickly by defeating the University of Hartford in a dual meet.

At the Ted Owen Invitational the Blue Devils finished fifth on the strength of a seventh place finish by senior Katherine Bossardet. Central finished a very respectible 27th out of 47 teams the following week at the New England Championships, again with Bossardet as the top Blue Devil finisher.

Last weekend Central had their best showing of the season a fourth place finish at the CCSU Mini Meet. Bossardet finished fourth at the meet, with freshman Elizabeth Eberhardt taking sixth.

The Blue Devils will be led on Saturday by Bossardet and Eberhardt. Eberhardt is the reigning NEC Rookie of the Week following her sixth place finish at the Mini Meet Last week.