Pride Cross Country Concludes Season at NCAA East Regional
BOSTON – The Regis College cross country team concluded its 2021 competition season at the NCAA Division III Cross Country East Regional, hosted by Suffolk University Saturday at Franklin Park.
Notching the highest individual finish at a regional meet in program history, senior Ashleigh Kelley (Stoneham, Mass.) was Regis' top finisher in the women's six-kilometer race, crossing the finish line in 31st place with a time of 24:19.0, over 10 seconds faster than her previous efforts this season over the same course. Fellow senior Erin Kelley (Stoneham, Mass.) completed the course in 25:38.1 to end up in 72nd place.
Lizzy Melvin (Southington, Conn.), the third senior for the Pride women, finished in 28:33.1, followed by Libby Parker (Bow, N.H.) with a time of 28:56.7. Annabelle Jean-Philippe (Randolph, Mass.) once again was the fifth Regis runner to cross the finish line, posting a time of 30:20.9. Lydia Miller (Bradford, Mass.) was next for the Pride at 31:02.1, ahead of Katie Kelley (Stoneham, Mass.) in 33:19.9.
As a team, the Pride women finished in 18th place with 556 points. With three runners in the top seven, Tufts won the regional and the automatic spot into the NCAA Championships with 59 points, just ahead of MIT's 65 points, while Ari Marks of Wellesley earned medalist honors by finishing in 21:17, 15 seconds in front of her nearest competitor.
On the men's side, Benjamin Happenny (Woonsocket, R.I.) concluded his first collegiate season by crossing the finish line in 148th place with an eight-kilometer time of 30:34.9. Gustavo Novelle-Ruddy (Boston, Mass.) ended his senior season by posting a time of 31:11.0, his fastest mark at Franklin Park this year by 40 seconds.
Zach Sigman (Buffalo, N.Y.) also completed the Franklin Park course quicker Saturday than in the previous two races with a time of 31:56.6. Michael Carroll (Lynn, Mass.) finished the race in 33:53.7.
MIT easily won the regional title, placing six runners in the top 10 for 23 total points and the automatic spot at the NCAA Championships. Tyler Morris of Colby cruised to medalist honors with a time of 25:00.6, over 30 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.
After a short break, most of the Pride cross country competitors will move on to the indoor track and field season.