Oct. 25, 2008

COLCHESTER, VT - Senior Ruben Sanca (Boston, MA) captured the individual title and led the UMass Lowell Men's Cross Country team to the Northeast-10 Conference Cross Country Championship Saturday at Saint Michael's College.

Sanca led three UMass Lowell runners in the top five places and seven among the top 15 as the title marked the sixth time in nine years the River Hawk men captured or shared the NE-10 championship.

On the women's side, seniors Christina DaLomba (Marstons Mills, MA) and Sarah Brassard (Oxford, MA) placed second and third, respectively, as the UMass Lowell women stunned the field and captured the NE-10 title for the second time in four years.

Head Coach Gary Gardner, in his seventh year at UMass Lowell, was named the NE-10 Men's Coach of the Year. The honor marked the fifth time in the last six years Gardner has earned the distinction.

In the men's race, UMass Lowell scored 31 points (1, 4, 5, 10, 11 - 12, 15) and defeated Stonehill (52), Southern Connecticut (64) Merrimack (139) and Saint Rose (145) for the title. Assumption (168), Bentley (193) and New Haven (214) rounded out the top eight teams.

Sanca ran the five-mile course in 24:33.0 and established a 28.6-second cushion on the remainder of the field to secure the title. Sanca is the fifth UMass Lowell runner in nine years to win the individual title, and first since 2005 when former standout Patrick Morasse won the second of his two honors.

Chris Kapfer was named in 2004 and followed Morasse in 2003 and Carl Mease in 2002.

Junior Rex Radloff (Dedham, MA) placed fourth in 25:21.4 while sophomore Angus MacDonald (Methuen, MA) took fifth in 25:23.6, joining Sanca on the NE-10 All-Conference First Team.

Freshman Carlos Montrond (Brockton, MA) placed 10th in 25:35.1 and was followed by two teammates, senior Jack Kilcommons (South Boston, MA) in 11th (25:36.4) and senior Jason DeDonato (Nashua, NH) in 12th (25:43.4) who highlighted the NE-10 Second Team.

Freshman Jeff Veiga (Lowell, MA) placed 15th in 25:53.1 and freshman Eric McDonald (Groveland, MA) 20th in 26:27.4 to lead the NE-10 Third Team.

"Ruben and the younger kids ran better that the upperclassmen," Gardner said. "Rex, Jack and Jason have trained hard the past two weeks and were a little flat today, but still ran well.

"Carlos breaking up our top five was a huge surprise, and Eric ran well enough to earn all-conference honors after being hurt most of the season," Gardner said. "After the New England (championship) we talked about needing our No. 6 and No. 7 guys to step up and get closer to our top five. Having three freshmen in the top 20 bodes well for the future for us."

Other notable men's finishes were that of junior Steve O'Brien (Groton, MA), who placed 22nd in 26:37.8; and sophomore Greg Wilson (Chelmsford, MA), who placed 25th in 26:50.5.

In the women's race, DaLomba ran the 5K course in 18:30 and placed second only to Melissa Nash of Bentley, who won the individual title in 18:19.0.

The River Hawks scored 46 points (2, 3, 5, 11, 25 - 29, 33) to edge defending champion Stonehill, which placed second with 51 points. Saint Rose, with 98 points, took third and was followed by Bentley (154) and Le Moyne (178).

Southern Connecticut (187), Saint Anselm (191) and Merrimack (197) rounded out the top eight teams.

Brassard placed third individually in 18:38.0 and sophomore Lyra Clark (Nashua, NH), who was sidelined the last five weeks due to an injury, took fifth in 18:45.0 to earn First Team honors.

"We weren't even sure Lyra was going to run until Friday morning," said Gardner. "We made her race in her training shoes and sent her out slow. She is a tough, competitive kid who ran a gutsy race."

Junior Haley Catarius (Marshfield, MA) placed 11th in 19:18.0 to earn Second Team status, and sophomore Elizabeth Carr (Randolph, MA) capped UMass Lowell's scoring runners in 25th in 19:50.0.

"We've been getting better every week," Gardner noted. "We haven't had our top seven runners together in one race this season. Certainly our top four - Christina, Sarah, Lyra and Haley - ran fantastic. Liz didn't run her best race - and she would be the first to admit that - but she held on as our fifth runner to lead us to the victory."

Senior Emily Thomas (Foxboro, MA) placed 29th among scoring runners (30th overall) in 19:56.0 and sophomore Sarah Bonomo (Tewksbury, MA) placed 33rd (35th) in 20:10.0.

The River Hawks enjoy two weeks hiatus until the NCAA East Region Championship Sunday, Nov. 9 at Franklin Park in Boston.