Cross Country Set To Host Northeast Conference Championships Saturday
The event will take place at Stanley Quarter Park in New Britain, CT.
Central Connecticut will host the 2014 Northeast Conference men's and women's cross country championships on Saturday, Nov. 1, beginning at 11 a.m. at Stanley Quarter Park. The CCSU women's team finished sixth a season ago in Loretto, PA, but returns four seniors to try and improve its finish in New Britain. The men's team is the five-time defending champion and will look to capture its sixth straight title on its home course.
NEC Cross Country Championship Headquarters
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
The women's cross country team began the 2014 season with a third place finish at the Marist Invitational. Freshman Brittany Mendelsonshined for the Blue Devils and led CCSU with a runner-up finish in her cross country debut. CCSU then placed 11th out of 20 at the Iona Br. Doyle Meet of Champions behind seniors Krisztina Dearborn and Elizabeth Eberhardt.
At the Ted Owen Invitational the Blue Devils finished fifth on the strength of an eighth place finish from Eberhardt. She also led the Blue Devils at the New England Championships with a 34th place finish out of 262. Her performance helped the Blue Devils finish 22nd out of 38 teams.
In the final weekend before the NEC Championships, the Blue Devils finished fifth at the CCSU Mini Meet behind another strong performance from Eberhardt. Eberhardt finished seventh overall and the Blue Devils were the first team to represent the NEC at the meet.
The Blue Devils return four seniors for the 2014 NEC Championships in Eberhardt, Dearborn, Taylor LePage and Shannon McBride. Eberhardt and Dearborn have earned NEC Athlete of the Week honors this season and McBride was an All-Conference awardee a season ago. McBride finished 12th at the 2013 NEC Championships.
The women's race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
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, both at Stanley Quarter Park. Central also began the season with a third place finish at the Marist Invitational behind sophomore Thomas Lupoli and his 10th place finish. The Blue Devils then placed 18th at the Iona Br. Doyle Meet of Champions before they hosted the 12th Annual Ted Owen Invitational. A meet that the Blue Devils won and saw all five of their scoring runners finish in the top ten. Senior Patrick Hubbell was the first to represent CCSU with a third place finish.
The Blue Devils then competed in the New England Championships where they finished a very respectable seventh out of 39 teams. Junior Tyler Raymond had a strong performance and led CCSU with a 24th place finish out of 262 competitors.
The Blue Devils captured their second victory of the season at the CCSU Mini Meet last weekend. Hubbell was victorious in the 5K race and was less than six seconds away from breaking the course record. Central earned the victory with three runners in the top ten.
The Blue Devils were undefeated in two events at Stanley Quarter Park this season, and will be led by Hubbell, Lupoli, Raymond and sophomore Ryan Hertzog who have all earned NEC Athlete of the Week honors this season. CCSU will also look for a strong performance from freshman Colin Sauter, who has won NEC Rookie of the Week honors three times this season.
The men's race is scheduled for a 12 p.m. shotgun start.
