Bryant University Bulldogs CROSS COUNTRY GETS READY FOR NEC CHAMPIONSHIPS; FIRST TEAM TO COMPETE FOR DIVISION I CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY

October 29, 2008

CROSS COUNTRY GETS READY FOR NEC CHAMPIONSHIPS; FIRST TEAM TO COMPETE FOR DIVISION I CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY

SMITHFIELD, RI- The Bryant University men's and women's cross country teams will make

Casey Fenwick will look for a strong performance at the NEC Championships this weekend.

school history this weekend when they compete in the Northeast Conference Championship meet this weekend at Holmdel Park in Holmdel, New Jersey as they will be the first team ever at Bryant to compete in a Division I conference championship. The women will compete in the 5k race at 11:00 a.m. followed by the men's 8k race at noon.

So far this season, the men have competed in six different meets, with their best finish being 4^th at the Ted Owen Invitational hosted by Central Connecticut State. The women have competed at five different meets, finishing as high as third at the Bryant Invitational.

The Bulldog men will be led by seniors Tom Casey (New Windsor, N.Y.) and Justin Getts (Beacon Falls, Conn.) who have been the Bulldogs first and second finishers respectively in all six of the team's meets. Casey's best time in an 8k race this season came at the Albany Invitational on October 18 when he finished in 24^th with a time of 25 minutes, 51 seconds. Both Casey and Getts have improved their times in each of their 8k races. Getts also had his best time at the Albany Invitational running a time of 26 minutes, nine seconds to finish 50^th. John Mitton (North Reading, Mass.) and Drew Clark (Hopkinton, Mass.) will also be among the runners to watch for Bryant as they each ran personal bests in the 8k at Albany, with Mitton coming in at 26:19 and Clark behind him at 26:29.

Kat Ragone (Bourne, Mass.) and Casey Fenwick (Wayland, Mass.) have been the two most consistent runners for the Bulldog women this year and they will look to make some noise at the NEC Championships. Ragone put up her best 5k time at the Ted Owen Invitational on September 20^th, crossing the line in 19 minutes, 44 seconds. Fenwick ran her best time in her last 5k race, running a time of 20:11 at the Albany Invitational. Amanda Garber (Brewster, N.Y.), Jennifer Denise (East Patchogue, N.Y.) and Megan Cordi (Endwell, N.Y.) will also be looking for strong outings, as they have each cracked the 21 minute barrier in the 5k this year. Garber and Denise each ran their best times of the year at the Albany Invitational, coming in at 20:43 and 20:30 respectively, while Cordi put up her best mark at the Ted Owen Invitational with a time of 20:42.

On the men's side, Quinnipiac is favored to take home its third straight NEC championship behind returning all-Conference performer Tyler Dinnan and newcomer Richard Klauber. Mount St. Mary's will be a strong contender, led by three-time all-NEC performer Matt Logie. Logie will be joined by Dylan Bernard, who was named NEC Rookie of the Week twice this season.

For the women, the perennial powerhouse Quinnipiac Bobcats will be the frontrunners to grab their fourth straight title. If the men and women both capture their respective crowns, it would be the third straight year that the school swept the NEC Championship meet. Three all-Conference performers lead the way including Chelsea Bollerman, Lindsey Pierret and Kelly Sorrell. Host Monmouth will look to contend for the title behind two-time 2008 NEC Athlete of the Week Cailin Lynam.

The Northeast Conference Championships will be a great cap to an already successful first season of Division I competition for both the men's and women's cross country teams. The Bulldogs track teams will next prepare for the indoor track season this winter.