The University of Rhode Island women’s cross country team came in second place in the New England Championship for the the third time in the program’s history on Friday.
In Hopkinton, New Hampshire, URI went against 18 other teams in the individual 5-kilometer race. URI finished with a time of 1:31:37 and scored 84 points. The Rams finished in second place behind the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, who secured first place with a total of 70 points and a time of 1:31:15.
“I was thrilled, the team ran really well,” URI Head Coach Laurie Feit-Melnick said. “We had so many personal best [times]. We really ran very tight as a team.”
For individual stats in the 5k, Central Connecticut State University’s fifth-year Booke Morabito dashed across the finish line in first place with a time of 16:53.18, helping CCSU earn a fourth-place spot at 1:31:27 at 107 points. For URI, fourth-year Sofia Piccone was the first runner to cross the finish line. Piccone placed sixth in the race with a time of 17:52.63.
“Sofia had a phenomenal run,” Feit-Melnick said. “On a hilly course that’s actually her fastest time ever, but for her to place sixth was huge.”
Later on in the race, third-year Lily Saul finished in 12th place with a time of 18:15.53. Fourth-year Erin Hurley finished with a time of 18:17.08 for 15th place.
“So, I mean crossing the [finish] line was just exciting, turning around and seeing my teammates really close behind me,” Piccone said. “We had two other girls finish in the top 15, so it was just a really exciting feeling.”
Piccone, Saul and Hurley earned all New England Honors for finishing the race in the top 15. Saul completed her first cross country race as a third-year.
Next, third-year Linsey Arends recorded a time of 18:29.20 for 23rd place. Fifth-year Sophia DiMuccio and first-year Alison Pankowicz ended their races within seconds of each other, as DiMuccio finished in 29th with a time of 18:42.05 and Pankowicz followed with a final time of 18:45.46, coming in 30th overall.
Rounding out the race, second-year Hailey LaRosa crossed the finish line at 19:11.23 in 51st place. Fifth-year Corina Vidal concluded her race at 64th with a time of 19:19.95. Fourth-year Madeline Till finished 68th in 19:23.01. Fourth-year Lindsay Turgeon had a time of 19:27.67 at 71st place. Third-year Olivia Skapczynski finished the race in 90th place with a time of 19:42.42. Fifth-year athlete Carollin Mellin had a time of 19:45.81, coming in 92nd. Fifth-year Elise LePage recorded a 94th-place race time of 19:46.38 and third-year Zoe Catrambone recorded the final time for URI with 20:04.58, coming in at 108th.
Piccone was awarded with the Atlantic 10 player of the week and Pankowicz was given A-10 rookie of the week. Pankowicz was recorded as the fourth-fastest first-year during the race.
The Rams finished in second place in the New England Championship for the third time in the program’s history, with URI earning previous second place wins in 1980 and 1987.
“I think it goes to show…the hard work we’ve been putting in and how well we’ve been running as a group,” Piccone said. “We’re all really, really excited that we were able to do that.”
Up next, the Rams will travel to Mechanicsville, Virginia to compete in the A-10 Championship on Nov. 2 at 10:00 a.m.