September 13, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

Springfield Women and Coast Guard Men Win Smith Cross Country Invitational

Northampton, MA: The Springfield women placed four runners in the top ten while the Bears of Coast Guard swept the first five places to win the women's and men's races today on Smith's 5k course.

Junior Amanda Dipaolo (Garrison, NY) of Springfield was the women's individual winner in 19:55.52 while Coast Guard senior Mike Persun (Hershey, PA) took the men's title in 16:32.82.

Senior Nora Youngs (Penacook, NH) who finished third overall in 20:15.59, led the Pioneers to a second place finish. First year Kristin Peck (Bethlehem, NY)  was 8th overall and second for Smith (20:50.26) while classmates Emma Yourd (Pittsburgh, PA) finished 13th (21:09.42), Uli Botzojorns (Bolton, VT) 17th (21:28.26) and Hania Thomas-Adams (Deerfield, MA) 18th in 21:28.76.

The Pride of Springfield scored 32 points followed by Smith (59), Westfield State (75), Wellesley (119), Coast Guard (163), Mount Holyoke (179), Lesley (198), Clark (251), Castleton State (288), Norwich (307), Lasell (320), Western New England (336), Saint Joseph (CT) (346), Elms (413), New England (458), Mitchell (475) and Southern Vermont (499).

In the men's race, Coast Guard scored 15 followed by Westfield State (55), Springfield (116), Western New England (139), Norwich (141), Clark (175), Castleton State (189), New England (216), Mitchell (250), Lasell (254), MCLA (304), Southern Vermont (325) and Elms (402).

The Pioneers will race again on Saturday, September 27 when they travel to the Plansky Invitational at Williams College.