PROVIDENCE COLLEGE FRIARS

Dec. 5, 2013

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Providence College ranks third in the first set of the fall Division I Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings. The Friars earned 158.5 points with a National Championship in women's cross country combined with a 16th place finish by the men's cross country team in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded to collegiate institutions based on its performance in up to 20 sports. An institution can earn points in up to 10 men's sports and 10 women's sports.

The women's cross country team claimed Providence's second NCAA team title in program history on Saturday, Nov. 23 with 141 points at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center (6k) located in Terre Haute, Ind. Senior Emily Sisson (Chesterfield, Mo.) was the Friars' top finisher with a seventh place finish with a time of 20:17.5.Senior Laura Nagel (Napier, New Zealand) was the second Friar to cross the line (20:38.8), finishing 27th overall. Sophomore Sarah Mary Collins finished in 39th with a time of 20:44.9. By virtue of their top-40 finishes, Sission, Nagel and Collins earned All-America honors.

On the men's side, junior Shane Quinn (Waterford, Ireland) was the Friars' top finisher with a 42nd-place finish, out of 254 competitors, posting a time of 30:47.8. Junior Benjamin Connor (Derby England) closely trailed, finishing 44th in a time of 30:51.4.

The team's 16th-place finish (396 points) was their best finish since 2006 when the team finished ninth.

The next set of Division I fall standings will be released on Thursday, Dec. 19.

2013-14 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Division I Fall Standings (As of December, 5 2013)
1. Colorado		175 Points
2. Michigan State	160.5 Points
3. Providence 		158.5 Points
4. Virginia		157 Points
5. Princeton		156 Points
6. Syracuse		144.5 Points
7. North Carolina	140 Points
8. Oregon		136.5 Points
9. New Mexico		133.5 Points
10. Michigan		133 Points
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-GO FRIARS-