WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
>> Saint Francis cross country competed at the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championships hosted by CCSU at Stanley Quarter Park on Friday.
>> The women's team finished 2nd out of 9 teams with 57 points. CCSU were the champions with 39.
>> The men's team took 7th with 178 points. CCSU once again took the top spot with 16.
>>
Live Results
FLASH WOMEN NUGGETS
The women's second place finish is the highest by any women's team since 2018. Five athletes placed in the top-20 and three placed in the top-14 to make it onto the All-Conference team. One freshman earned NEC Freshman of the Year honors as well.
Tesslyn Helms led the squad in 4th with a time of 17:37.9. The senior recorded her second top-5 finish at the Championships after placing 2nd in 2023. She earned her second All-Conference honor as well.
Naomi Hillen followed behind in 7th with a time of 18:01.3. It is the highest mark the senior has registered at the Championships in her career, helping her earn a spot on the All-Conference team.
Anna Quackenbush placed 12th with a time of 18:16.9 to take home her second-straight All-Conference team honor. The sophomore finished 7th at the 2023 Championships.
Morgan McNaughton was three spots behind Quackenbush in 15th with a time of 18:32.8 for her second top-20 finish at the Championships. The junior took 13th and earned All-Conference honors at last year's event.
Rounding out the top-20 was freshman
Rosemary Gaydos, who registered a 19th place finish with a time of 18:52.2. As the top runner among NEC freshmen runners, she earned herself Freshman of the Year.
Mariclare Anderson finished right outside the top-20 in 21st with a time of 18:53.9.
FLASH MEN NUGGETS
Shane Curran paced the men's team in 31st with a time of 27:55.4.
Second on the team was
Aaron Tressler, who placed 34th with a time of 28:06.0.
Rounding out the top-3 was
Joseph Piccirillo in 39th with a time of 28:27.0.
UP NEXT
The Red Flash will return to B & D Acres to compete in the Red Flash Rally Saturday, November 9. The women's race will begin at 1:45 p.m., and the men's race will follow at 2:30 p.m.
