NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
MAAC Championships
Saturday, Oct. 27
Men’s 8k – 11 a.m.
Women’s 6k – 12 p.m.
The Crossings of Colonie – Loudonville, NY
The stakes have been raised for Niagara’s men’s and women’s cross country at the onset of the MAAC Championships. Both teams are hoping to have a good showing as they return to Loudonville for the second time this season.
Pre-Race Notes (Women)
- The women last raced at the Canisius Alumni Classic at Delaware Park in Buffalo, New York.
- Nora Klinowski’s 5k mark (18:37) topped Nicole Mehlman’s 2010 result from the Canisius Alumni Classic by eight seconds to vault herself into the top five all-time finishes for a Niagara runner. She also finished the event sixth overall.
- Julia Freemire and Annina Marullo finished with identical 19:43 finishes. For Freemire, it was her best team result of the year. It was Marullo’s fourth time finishing in the top two this fall. For both, it was their fastest times ever running in the purple and white.
- Julianne Gerritsen (21:11), Casey Roman (21:17), Grace Kibler (21:26) and Emma Bagnato (22:14) also ran Niagara-bests at the meet.
Pre-Race Notes (Men)
- The men’s side competed at last week’s John Reif Memorial, hosted by Cornell in Ithaca, New York.
- Joe Tricarico finished with a mark of 17:06.9. Despite the sloppy conditions, Tricarico was just 1.9 seconds behind his personal best for a 5k race, which he set in the season’s first meet at Saint Bonaventure.
- Daniel Leskowicz came through second for Niagara with a time of 19:05.5.
- Kevin Verdejo and Justin Sagasta crossed the finish line with nearly identical times. Verdejo ran a 19:20.6, just 0.3 seconds ahead of Sagasta.
- Ben Slate (20:00.7) and Spencer Swoboda (20:08.3) rounded out the times for Niagara’s team score.
About the MAAC Championships
- At the 2017 edition of the conference championships, Tricarico posted a time of 28:59.14 to lead Niagara’s men. Ryan DeLola finished second on the team with a time of 29:39.51. Ben Slate was next for the Purple Eagles with a time of 30:38.00.
- For the women, Klinowski led the Purple Eagles in the 6k race with a time of 25:09.01. Klinowski has led Niagara in every meet this season. Classmate Stephanie Webster was second on the team at 26.33.25.
- This is the second time the Purple Eagles will run the course at Loudonville after taking part in the Siena College Invitational on September 8. In Niagara’s first race at The Crossings of Colonie, Tricarico was the first male across, finishing the 8k in 28:50.7. Klinowski led the ladies by finishing the 5k with a time of 20:10.6.
