Seahawk Women Take Fifth at CAC Championships
Walkersville, Md. - Freshman Katie Phipps (Severna Park, Md./Chesapeake) finished 20th as the St. Mary's College of Maryland women's cross country team notched a fifth-place finish at its first-ever Capital Athletic Conference championship meet on Saturday.
Salisbury University captured its second straight and sixth overall team title while freshman Jessie Early nabbed CAC Rookie of the Year honors with her 12th-place finish in 25:50.51. Salisbury head coach Jim Jones picked up his third CAC Coach of the Year title while junior Sarah Dawes of University of Mary Washington was named the CAC Female Runner of the Year after claiming her first individual title in 24:12.79.
Phipps crossed the finish line for the 6,000-meter race in 26:53.49 followed by freshman Kristin Hay (Huntingtown, Md./Huntingtown) as Hay finished 34th with a time of 28:15.17 while sophomore Kathleen Tatem (Kensington, Md./Bethesda-Chevy Chase) was just four seconds behind Hay in 35th place with her time of 28:19.83.
Freshman Margaret Lillie (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill) came in 44th in 29:36.15 while junior captain Christi Ford (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis) took 45th in 29:48.93.
Rounding out the race for the Seahawks were freshman Katie Morgan (Walkersville, Md./Walkersville) and sophomore Laura Hewins (Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales Academy). Morgan was 52nd in 32:24.89 while Hewins placed 59th in 34:47.67.
The Seahawks will return to action next week when St. Mary's competes in the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional hosted by Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C.
The addition of men's and women's cross country during the spring of 2009 brought St. Mary's athletic offerings to 17 sports.
Affiliated with NCAA Division III, St. Mary's became the ninth and final member institution of the Capital Athletic Conference to sponsor both men's and women's cross country. The Seahawks joined Gallaudet University, Hood College, the University of Mary Washington, Marymount (Va.) University, Salisbury University, Stevenson University, Wesley College, and York (Pa.) College.
6K Women's Team Standings: 1. Salisbury (30), 2. Mary Washington (35), 3. York (Pa.) (84), 4. Gallaudet (139), 5. St. Mary's (Md.) (156), 6. Stevenson (166), 7. Hood (182), 8. Marymount (Va.) (197), 9. Wesley (220)
