Oct. 22, 2011

NEW BRITAIN, CONN. - Junior Shelby Greany (Suffern, N.Y.) and sophomore Emily Sisson (Chesterfield, Mo.) each broke the Stanley Park course record and led the #7 Providence College women's cross country team to first place at the Central Connecticut State Invitational.

On the men's side, it was junior Alex Wallace (Waipukarau, New Zealand) who broke the course record in his own right, taking first overall as the #14 Friar men grabbed second as a team.

The race served as a final tune-up for next Saturday's BIG EAST Championships in Louisville, and several members of both teams were idle.

The women's race was dominated by the Friars' two All-Americans. Greany and Sisson completed the 3-kilometer run in first and second place, respectively. The pair both crossed in 10:06, two seconds better than the course record, set by Friar teammate Mary Kate Champagne (Plattsburg, N.Y.) last fall.

Freshman Julie Solimine (Haverill, Mass.) was seventh in 10:31, just ahead of classmate Devyn Pryor's (Dartmouth, Mass.) 11th-place time of 10:44.

Sophomore Jackie McCarthy (New Rochelle, N.Y.) rounded out the scoring in 16th place, crossing in 10:56.

The Friars placed first out of six teams with 37 points, 12 better than second-place Quinnipiac.

On the men's side, Wallace stormed through the 5K in a new course record of 14:46, nine seconds faster than the previous mark, and seven seconds faster than the next closest competitor.

Seniors Matt Terry (Danbury, Conn.) and Corey Brunelle were fourth and fifth, respectively, crossing in 15:13 and 15:18. Classmate Ed Jennings (New York, N.Y.) was 29th with a posting of 16:23, and junior Nik Rebovich (New Hartford, N.Y.) sealed the scoring with a 34th-place time of 16:29.

The Friars' 73 points was good for second overall. Host CCSU took the meet with 27.

Saturday's BIG EAST Championships, at Louisville's Tom Sawyer State Park, will commence with the men's 8K at 11 a.m. The women's 6K will follow at 11:50.

- Go Friars -