Bulldogs primed for historic season in 2015; open season with 15th annual Nassaney Invitational

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After putting together one of the most successful seasons in program history, the Bryant University cross country teams open their 2015 season on Saturday, Sept. 12 with the 15th annual Shawn M. Nassaney Invitational at Bryant University.

Saturday's lid-lifter will is just the beginning of what could be a historic season in Smithfield. Both the men and women have been picked to place in the top three in the preseason coaches' poll and will battle for their first-ever Northeast Conference championship on their home turf. The Black and Gold will host the championships on Saturday, Oct. 31.

With back-to-back second-place finishes, the women's team enters 2015 with their eyes set on taking the final step. The Bulldogs welcome back four of their top seven runners from a season ago and will be led by three-time All-NEC performer Annmarie Tuxbury (New Hartford, Conn.). Tuxbury, the 2012 NEC Rookie of the Year, finished eighth at the championship meet last season, the best finish of her career.

Bryant also returns its top freshman finisher from a year ago in Elizabeth Willmonton (Rowley, Mass.). Willmonton posted her best time of the season at the NEC Championships, finishing 15th. Also back are seniors Staci Rezendes (Ludlow, Mass.), Brittany Sarza (Uxbridge, Mass.) and Erin Svensen (Medway, Mass.), junior Emily McNeil (Shelton, Conn.) and sophomore Sarah Lapham (Greenwich, N.Y.). Rezendes posted the highest finish of the group at last season's championships, placing 29th.  

On the men's side, the Black and Gold posted their highest finish in program history a year ago and return five of their top seven runners this fall. Leading the way for the Bulldogs this season will be sophomore Milan Duka (Belgrade, Serbia). Duka earned All-NEC honors with a ninth-place finish in his first year with the Bulldogs last season.

Right behind him will be three other runners that all finished in the top 20. Grad student Thomas Mullally (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) just missed out on All-NEC honors with a 15th-place finish, while Richard Landry (Holyoke, Mass.) and Russell Stevens (Colchester, Conn.) finished 17th and 19th, respectively.

Following Saturday's opener, the Black and Gold will compete in four meets, including the New England Championships, before hosting the NEC Championships for the second time in four years.

Saturday's Nassaney Race is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. with the Shawn M. Nassaney Memorial Race/Walk. The women's 5k will begin at 10:30 and the men's 5k will follow at 11:15.