October 26, 2012

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The Bobcats women's cross country team will look to add another title to their already unprecedented streak. Quinnipiac has won the NEC Championship every year since 2005, an NEC record, and with several key contributors to last season's squad returning, the Bobcats were been chosen as the preseason favorites by the NEC coaches. Not only have the Bobcats won a record seven straight NEC Championships, they have done so in dominating fashion. Since splitting the Championship with Sacred Heart in 2005, the Bobcats have beaten the runner-up team by an average of 33.5 points in that six-year stretch. Quinnipiac has also fielded the most individual champions with six and only twice in their seven-year reign has the NEC individual champion come from another school.

Season Highlights

The women's cross country team certainly had another stellar year that showcased the great depth and outstanding performances. Three different Quinnipiac freshmen have claimed the NEC Rookie of the Week honors (Ashley Carle, Tracy Campbell, and Chelsea Savage) for the first time in program history and the only other team to have accomplished the feat was Sacred Heart in 2005. Senior Becca White (Natick, Mass.) has put together another standout campaign with two NEC Athlete of the Week honors as she has placed first on the team in all four races she has competed in thus far.

The 2012 season kicked off with a bang as Carle took home Rookie of the Week honors after finishing in 9^th-place overall and first on the team. It was the first time since Becca White placed first at the 2009 Quinnipiac Invitational that a freshman runner finished as the fastest Bobcat runner in an event. Carle led the way among the Bobcats, six of which finished in the top-20, to a 3^rd-place team finish.

In a preview for the host site of the NEC Championship, the Bobcats placed 3^rd out of 17 teams at the Shawn M. Nassaney Memorial Race. White competed in her first race of the season and placed 3^rd in the event. Junior Jessica Soja (Simsbury, Conn.) was right behind in 13^th-place overall as this event marked the beginning of a breakout 2012 campaign for Soja. The second-place finish for Quinnipiac runners was a career-best, a mark she would reach three other times in the season.

The team put on an incredible display at the Quinnipiac Invitational as White won the event for the third time (in three opportunities) in her career. She dominated the field with a time of 18:11.1 but she wasn't alone as the Bobcats took seven of the top eight finishing places. Soja, Amanda and Brianna Faust, and Campbell all came in right behind White within 30 seconds of one another. White claimed Athlete of the Week while Campbell won Rookie of the Week for their efforts.

The high point of the season came after the Lehigh Paul Short Women's 6k Gold Race where the Bobcats finished 18^th out of 40 teams. The finish was seven spots higher than the 2011 result and they also finished above several regional powers including Delaware, St. Joseph's and Maryland. White led the Bobcat contingent with a 74^th-place finish and Soja continued her breakout season right behind her with a time of 22:10. On Tuesday of that week the Bobcats earned the No. 15 ranking in the USTFCCCA Northeast Regional Poll and it was the first time the team had been ranked since the team was No. 12 on Sept. 27, 2010.

The Quinnipiac women's cross country team was one of only four other schools competing at the New England Championships to place all seven runners in the top-100, leading to a 9^th-place showing out of 37 teams. Senior Morgan Roche (Clifton Park, N.Y.) led the effort with a 40^th-place showing and Soja was right behind in 42^nd-place.

White came away with another team-leading effort at the Princeton Invitational as she crossed the finish line in 22:00. As a whole, the Bobcats placed 18^th out of 25 teams at the event and looks to carry the momentum into the NEC Championship.

Top 10 Projected Runners for 2012 NEC Championship

Ashley Carle

 

One of the three Bobcat freshmen to claim NEC Rookie of the Week honors. Her best race came in the Stony Brook Invitational where she claimed a 9^th-place overall finish, best on the team.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

1^st/9^th              15:24.58                     Stony Brook Invitational

3^rd/27^th           19:05.9                       Nassaney Race

10^th/16^th         20:09.4                       Quinnipiac Invitational

6^th/212^th         23:05                          Lehigh Paul Short Run

6^th/86^th           18:46.31                     New England Varsity

Tracy Campbell

 

Had an impressive rookie campaign with the women's cross country team as the freshman had a great showing at the Quinnipiac Invitational, taking 6^th-place overall and the NEC Rookie of the Week. She finished with a season-best 18:31.43 in the New England Championship Sub-Varsity event where she also had an 8^th-place overall finish.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

5^th/33^rd           19:10.4                       Nassaney Race

5^th/6^th             19:21.2                       Quinnipiac Invitational

7^th/287^th         24:00                          Lehigh Paul Short Run

1^st/8^th              18:31.43                     New England Sub-Varsity

Amanda Faust

 

Entering her junior year, the impeccable Amanda Faust was as consistent as any Bobcat runner all season, never placing outside 4^th on the team in her four races thus far. She is coming off a 57^th-place showing at the New England Championships and will look to better her 11^th-place result at the 2011 NEC Championship.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

4^th/32^nd          19:09.4                       Nassaney Race

3^rd/4^th             19:01.6                       Quinnipiac Invitational

3^rd/146^th        22:31                          Lehigh Paul Short Run

3^rd/57^th           18:28.39                     New England Varsity

Brianna Faust

 

The junior finished third among Bobcat runners and 7^th overall with 19:16.50 at the 2011 NEC Championship and will look to better that mark along with her Quinnipiac teammates. She is coming off a near personal-best with a time of 18:33.28 at the New England Championship, just over one second over her personal best of 18:32.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

6^th/42^nd          19:32.2                       Nassaney Race

4^th/5^th             19:10.1                       Quinnipiac Invitational

5^th/155^th         22:36                          Lehigh Paul Short Run

4^th/62^nd          18:33.28                     New England Varsity

Kelly Malloy

 

The junior will be competing in her first NEC Championship event as the season winds down. She has exceeded her personal-best several times this season as it currently stands at 18:53 after crossing the line in 95^th-place at the New England Championship.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

6^th/20^th           16:14.28                     Stony Brook Invitational

10^th/68^th         20:07.9                       Nassaney Race

7^th/9^th             19:55.9                       Quinnipiac Invitational

7^th/95^th           18:53                          New England Varsity

Medinah Nabadduka

 

One of four Bobcat freshmen competing in the NEC Championship has come on strong of late with a pair of third-place showings among Bobcat runners. She has competed in the most events of any Quinnipiac runner competing in the NEC Championship.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

5^th/17^th           16:04.95                     Stony Brook Invitational

7^th/48^th           19:39.7                       Nassaney Race

13^th/19^th         20:10.9                       Quinnipiac Invitational

10^th/337^th      25:00                          Lehigh Paul Short Run

3^rd/32^nd          19:08.98                     New England Sub-Varsity

3^rd/115^th        23:33                          Princeton Invitational

Morgan Roche

 

Competing in her last NEC Championship, Roche hopes to take home a crown for the fourth time in her career. She was the fastest Bobcat at the New England Championships with a time of 18:13.2. The three-time All-Conference runner will help carry the Bobcats on Saturday.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

12^th/18^th         20:10.3                       Quinnipiac Invitational

1^st/40^th           18:13.2                       New England Varsity

2^nd/85^th          23:12                          Princeton Invitational

Chelsea Savage

Another freshman competitor to have won a Rookie of the Week selection, Savage has picked it up as the season has gone on with her fastest time coming in her last event at 18:33.58 in the New England Varsity event.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

2^nd/11^th          15:29.85                     Stony Brook Invitational

8^th/55^th           19:50.2                       Nassaney Race

11^th/17^th         20:09.8                       Quinnipiac Invitational

4^th/150^th         22:33                          Lehigh Paul Short Run

5^th/63^rd           18:33.58                     New England Varsity

Jessica Soja

The junior has absolutely burst onto the scene with a breakout 2012 campaign. She has established personal-best times on three separate occasions this year and has finished second among Bobcat runners in all four races she has competed. She will look to better her 15^th-place overall finish at the 2011 NEC Championship.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

 

2^nd/13^th          18:49.9                       Nassaney Race

2^nd/3^rd            18:52.3                       Quinnipiac Invitational

2^nd/108^th        22:10                          Lehigh Paul Short Run

2^nd/42^nd         18:18.73                     New England Varsity

Becca White

One of the greatest performers Quinnipiac has ever seen enters her last NEC Championship event on Saturday. The nine-time career NEC Athlete of the Week honoree, two-time All-Conference runner, and 2010 Outstanding Performer of the Year looks to leave her mark on the program one more time.

Individual results (team finish/overall finish) during 2012 season

1^st/3^rd             18:08.2                       Nassaney Race

1^st/1^st              18:11.1                       Quinnipiac Invitational

1^st/75^th           21:50                          Paul Short Run

1^st/12^th           22:00                          Princeton Invitational

Contact: Maxx McNall; maxx.mcnall@quinnipiac.edu