Release courtesy of CCC Intern Jensen Wurm
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Gordon College welcomes the eight Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) women's cross country teams to campus on Saturday, Oct. 27 for the 2018 CCC Cross Country Championships. The women's 6-kilometer race is scheduled to begin at 11 AM followed by the men's race at noon.
The University of New England will be seeking its seventh consecutive women's cross country championship this year. It has already won three other meets this season – the Saint Joseph's Invitational, the UNE Invitational, and the Pop Crowell Invitational. Senior Emily Wasina(Waterboro, Maine) has led the way for the Nor'easters in every race that she has competed in. She finished first in the three races that her team took the title. She was also selected as the CCC Runner of the Week twice already this year. UNE has also gotten consistent performances from senior Kiera Murray (Falmouth, Maine). Murray, who was selected as CCC Runner of the Week once this year, has been UNE's second-best runner in almost every meet and finished twelfth at last year's CCC Championship. Jasmine Syed (Canterbury, N.H.), Jija Young (Biddeford, Maine), and two-time CCC Rookie of the Week Dani Jewell (Dover, N.H.) have consistently been the other three scorers for UNE.
Gordon, this year's championship host, finished second at last year's meet. So far this year, the Fighting Scots have relied on their top two runners, freshman Bridget Hill (Houlton, Maine) and senior Juila Drewicke (San Francisco, Calif.), who each have three top-20 finishes. Bridget Mellon (Camden, Maine), who finished in the top-25 of last year's CCC Championship field is also returning.
Salve Regina finished third at last year's CCC Championship and is looking to improve on that this season. The Seahawks have already won two meets this year – the Roger Williams Invitational and the CCRI Invitational. Four of Salve Regina's scorers – all top-25 finishers – from last year are back, including All-CCC runner Alex Demeo (Burlington, Mass.). Also returning is Olivia Owen (Weymouth, Mass.) who finished 11th in the 2017 event. The Seahawks also welcome two-time CCC Rookie of the Week Christina Moran (Oceanside, N.Y.) to the field.
Returning this year for Roger Williams is All-CCC performer Sarah Mawdsley (Sandy, Hook, Conn.). Mawdsley finished third at last year's championship and was named CCC Runner of the Week twice this season. She has been the Hawks top finisher in every race, including four out of five finishes in the top-10. Junior Hannah Kaplan (Lebanon, Conn.), who finished 15th at last year's race will also be back. Freshman Amanda Naylor (Glastonbury, Conn.) was the Hawks number two finisher in four of their five races this year and will be competing in her first CCC Championship race.
Sophomore and 2017 All-CCC honoree Emma Farrington (Essex Junction, Vt.) is back for Endicott this year. She has been the Gulls top racer in all but one of their meets and has four top-10 finishes. She finished eighth at last season's championship. Endicott has also gotten contributions from Aleah McKay (Bedford, N.H.) who has been the number two finisher in four of five races this year.
The top two runners for Western New England this year have been 2017 All-CCC performer Meagan Dias (Ludlow, Mass.) and junior Brooke Townsend (Portland, Conn.) Dias finished seventh at last year's CCC Championship. Junior Samantha Lewis (Goffstown, N.H.), who finished 27th last year, is also back.
The Nichols squad is led by freshman Jayme Dowd (Spencer, Mass.) and sophomore Mikensie Morin (Douglas, Mass.). Morin will be looking to improve her standing after running the CCC Championship race last year.
Curry's top runner in every race this year has been junior Karina Murcia (Culver City, Calif.).
The CCC Championship is the final tune-up for cross country teams before the NCAA Division III New England Regional which takes place at Bowdoin's Pickard Field Course in Brunswick, Maine on Saturday, Nov. 10.
ABOUT THE COMMONWEALTH COAST CONFERENCE
The Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), founded in 1984, is an NCAA Division III athletic conference comprised of nine full member and one associate member institutions throughout the New England region. Its membership aims to provide student-athletes with a positive experience in their pursuit of excellence through high academic standards, quality competition, and a meaningful student life. The conference administers championships in 18 intercollegiate sports.
