FULL RESULTS

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's cross country team put together a solid performance today while racing at the program's first-ever East Coast Conference Championships held on the campus of Long Island University Post, racing to a runner-up finish in the unofficial standings.  Coach Jessica Gorski's squad finished with 86 total points, one ahead of the host Pioneers.  Roberts Wesleyan College ran away with the race (23 points), placing 12 runners in the top 24, including six All-Conference honorees.  

Because Daemen and Roberts Wesleyan are not yet eligible to win the conference championship due to both schools' status as transitioning to full NCAA Division II membership, the race standings with them included were considered unofficial and the conference championship was awarded to LIU Post.  It was the Pioneers' second title in the last three years.

Daemen's top finishers were a pair of freshmen who earned All-Conference accolades.  

Mackenzie Donahue (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora), who earlier this season broke the school record for a 5K race, was the Wildcats' top finisher again, coming in seventh place (18:38.35) to earn First Team All-ECC honors.  Donahue finished 11 seconds behind Rachel Hutchinson of RWC (fifth place; 18:27.94), narrowly missing ECC Rookie of the Year honors which went to Hutchinson.

Classmate Hannah Rice (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora) was a Second Team All-ECC honoree after finishing in 11th place with a time of 18:53.36 - her best time of the season thus far.

The Wildcats also got strong performances from sophomore Ally Pajak (West Seneca, N.Y./West Seneca East) and freshman Brittany Denton (Oakfield, N.Y./Oakfield-Alabama) who each set personal records today.

Gladys Kimutai of the New York Institute of Technology won the race with a time of 17:39.37, breaking the course record in the process and earning ECC Runner of the Year honors.

"Our team was motivated from the start today," Gorski said.  "Mackenzie was determined to break up Roberts' tightly-packed top 5 and she did exactly that.  Hannah ran a smart race and worked through the most difficult parts of the course to ensure her All-Conference finish. Jordan Weir, Noelle Thompson, Ally Pajak and Brittany Denton all had significant contributions to our second place finish.  They knew their competition today and knew exactly where they needed to be in the race."

The coach continued, "Today's meet and the results are still a little surreal, but not unexpected.  Our team has been training extremely hard and they've really risen to every challenge at any competition we've traveled to this season."

To view the official press release from the conference office, click HERE.

Daemen will close their 2013 season at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships which will be held on Nov. 8 at Drumlins Country Club in Syracuse, N.Y.

Women's Team Results (Official)

Women's Team Results (Unofficial w/Roberts Wesleyan and Daemen)

 
Women's Cross Country All-Conference First Team
Name (Time)
Gladys Kimutai, NYIT (17:39.37) - course record
Rachel Prutsman, Roberts Wesleyan (17:59.20)
Megan Hulton, Roberts Wesleyan (18:03.12)
Kimberley Mills, Roberts Wesleyan (18:24.23)
Rachel Hutchinson, Roberts Wesleyan (18:27.94)
Alyssa Ligouri, Dowling (18:36.86)
Mackenzie Donohue, Daemen (18:38.35)
 
Women's Cross Country All-Conference Second Team
Name (Time)
Elizabeth Stirling, LIU Post (18:44.65)
Hanna Taft, Roberts Wesleyan (18:48.30)
Caitlin Breen, Molloy (18:51.60)
Hannah Rice, Daemen (18:53.36)
Keeley Bateman, STAC (18:54.18)
Jennifer McLaughlin, LIU Post (19:02.87)
Rachel Hust, Roberts Wesleyan (19:09.62)
 
Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year - Gladys Kimutai, NYIT
Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Year - Rachel Hutchinson, Roberts Wesleyan
Women's Cross Country Coaches of the Year - Andrew and Jennifer Dorr, Roberts Wesleyan