November 10, 2007

Amherst Men, Women Place First at NCAA Regionals

Amherst and Williams Finish One-Two in Both New England Races; Hamilton's Kosgei Takes Atlantic Regional Race

Courtesy Connecticut College Sports Information

WATERFORD, Conn. - The Connecticut College cross country program hosted the New England Division III Championship at Harkness State Park in Waterford, Connecticut Saturday. Amherst College and Williams College finished 1-2 in the men's and women's championship, automatically qualifying for the NCAA Championship that will take place at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. next weekend.

In the men's championship, the Amherst College Lord Jeffs edged their NESCAC rival Williams by just one point, finishing with 117 points. Tufts University was third with 135 points. Trinity College finished fourth (148) and Bowdoin College was fifth overall with 150 points.

Williams College's Edgar Kosgey (Eldoret Rift Valley, Kenya) won the individual championship with a time of 24:55 on the 8k course. Wesleyan University senior Sean Watson (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) finished second, posting a time of 25 minutes flat.  Sophomore Jesse Faller (Burlington, Mass.) of Tufts University was third with a time of 25:04.

Bowdoin College's Nate Krah (Bradenton, Fla.) logged a time of 25:07 en route to a fourth place performance. Colby's John Swain (St. Paul, Minn.) finished fifth overall with a time of 25:07. The top 35 individual finishers were named to the All-New England Team. Connecticut College's Keith Drake (Norwich, Vt.) finished 26th overall with a time of 25:26, garnering All-New England honors for the hosts.

In the women's championship, Amherst place four runners in the top 10, rolling to the championship with a score of 40 points. The Williams College Ephs were a distant second with 96 points. Bowdoin College tallied 127 points, finishing third. Colby and Middlebury finished in fourth and fifth place with respective scores of 140 and 169.

Keene State College senior Jennifer Adams (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) topped the field with a winning time of 21:20 on the 6k course.  Amherst's Heather Wilson (Danvers, Mass.) posted a time of 21:31 en route to a second place finish. Middlebury College's Alexandra Krieg (Wellesley, Mass.) finished on the heels of Wilson with a time of 21:31.

Tufts University seniors Catherine Beck (Brookline, N.H.) and Katy O'Brien (North Easton, Mass.) finished fourth and fifth overall with respective times of 21:43 and 21:46.  The top 35 individual finishers were named to the All-New England Team.   Connecticut College's Jill Sergi (Franklin, Mass.) garnered All-New England honors for the hosts, placing 32nd with a time of 22:40. Complete results are available online at http://www.ncaasports.com/.

New England Regional Team Scores

Men's team scores:  
1. Amherst 117
2. Williams 118
3. Tufts 135
4. Trinity 148
5. Bowdoin 150
6. MIT 163
7. Southern Maine 185
8. Keene St. 206
9. Brandeis 260
10. Bates 262
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11. Connecticut College    267
12. Middlebury 315
13. Wesleyan 327
17. Colby 505
   
 
Women's team scores:  
1. Amherst 40    
2. Williams 96
3. Bowdoin 127
4. Colby 140
5. Middlebury 169
6. Tufts 179
7. MIT 282
8. Wesleyan 295
9. Bates 296
10. Keene St. 301
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11. Connecticut College    341
16. Trinity 455
   
   
   


BRONX, N.Y. - Hamilton sophomore Peter Kosgei (Kapsabet, Kenya) finished first during the men's race at the Atlantic Regional hosted by New York University at Van Cortlandt Park. Kosgei finished the 8-kilometer course with a time of 24:18 as he led his team to an eighth-place showing. The Continentals' women's team finished 11th.

Atlantic Regional Team Scores

Men's team scores:  
1. New York U. 37
2. Cortland St. 46
3. TCNJ 120
4. Geneseo St. 126
5. St. Lawrence 154
6. RIT 178
7. Rochester 205
8. Hamilton 266
9. Nazareth 309
10. Ithaca 353
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Women's team scores:  
1. Geneseo St. 41
1. Plattsburgh St. 41
3. Ithaca 116
4. TCNJ 146
5. Cortland St. 171
6. Rochester 275
7. Rensselaer 294
8. St. Lawrence 303
8. Nazareth 303
10. Brockport 323
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11. Hamilton 334