Women's XC Finishes Sixth at NECC Championship
WESTFIELD, Mass. — Wheelock College was crowned the 2015 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Women's Cross Country champion on Saturday as the Wildcats won their first-ever league title on the 5,000 meter course at Stanley Park.
WC freshman Gina Powell sped ahead of the field, crossing the finish line in first place with a time of 19:48. That mark, which ties the fifth-best ever put up at an NECC Championship, gave way for her to earn the 2015 NECC Runner and Rookie of the Year honors.
Powell's placement helped the Wildcats amass 51 team points, topping the other seven crews by eight to bring home the Championship trophies. Lesley University, a team that had won all seven of the previous NECC meets, edged a pair of crews to take second with 59 points. Regis College rounded out the top three team scores, besting Southern Vermont College by just one with a total of 60.
The park provided excellent running conditions for the competitors as abundant sunshine made for a pleasant day with temperatures around 50 degrees.
SVC junior Shelby Whitman led her team with a second place overall finish, coming through at 20:17 while teammate and Bennington College sophomore Annika Kristiansen was right behind at 20:23 for third. Lesley sophomore Kelly Lynch crossed fourth overall and first for the Lynx with a 20:45 showing while Wheelock freshman Natasha Olanyk rounded out the All-NECC First Team with a mark of 20:51 for fifth.
Sixth and seventh place were decided by a fraction of a second, with Regis College freshman Andrea O'Hearn just besting Elms College sophomore Sarah Tatgenhorst at 21:03. Regis junior Siobhan McLaughlin crossed eighth overall with a time of 21:21 while SVC junior Schyler McGuire was on her heels at 21:23. Close behind was Lesley freshman Nicole Footer who placed 10th overall, completing the All-NECC Second Team at 21:26.
Wheelock head coach Wole Oke was selected by his peers as the 2015 NECC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year while each squad named one of its runners to the inaugural NECC All-Sportsmanship Team.
Mitchell College finished sixth in the field of eight teams. Freshman Kate McCormack paced the Mariners with a time of 23:59.43 and finished 31st overall. Classmate Caelin Hetherman was selected to the NECC All-Sportsmanship Team.
2015 NECC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year
Gina Powell (Fr.) – Wheelock College
2015 NECC Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Year
Gina Powell (Fr.) – Wheelock College
2015 NECC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year
Wole Oke – Wheelock College
2015 All-NECC Women's Cross Country First Team
1st – Gina Powell (Fr.) Wheelock College: 19:48
2nd – Shelby Whitman (Jr.) Southern Vermont College: 20:17
3rd – Annika Kristiansen (So.) Southern Vermont College: 20:23
4th – Kelly Lynch (So.) Lesley University: 20:45
5th – Natasha Olanyk (Fr.) Wheelock College: 20:51
2015 All-NECC Women's Cross Country Second Team
6th – Andrea O'Hearn (Fr.) Regis College: 21:03
7th – Sarah Tatgenhorst (So.) Elms College: 21:03
8th – Siobhan McLaughlin (Jr.) Regis College: 21:21
9th – Schyler McGuire (Jr.) Southern Vermont College: 21:23
10th – Nicole Footer (Fr.) Lesley University: 21:26
2015 NECC Women's Cross Country All-Sportsmanship Team
Mika Schneider (Jr.) – Bay Path University
Jacqueline Quetti (Sr.) – Elms College
Rachel Asam (Jr.) – Lesley University
Caelin Hetherman (Fr.) – Mitchell College
Katelyn Roeser (So.) – Newbury College
Rachel Wood (Sr.) – Regis College
Shelby Whitman (Jr.) – Southern Vermont College
Kara Shipkin (Sr.) – Wheelock College