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Photo by: Tom O'Brien
Photo by: Tom O'Brien
Posted: Oct 29, 2015

Bulldogs ready to run as Northeast Conference Championships come to Smithfield this Saturday

Recap Results

NEC Championship Headquarters: Men's, Women's | 8K Course Map | 5K Course Map

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's and women's cross country teams have their sights set on history this weekend as they compete in the Northeast Conference Championships that are being hosted by Bryant on Halloween.

The Bulldogs will play host to the league's championship meet for the second time in the last four years and will be vying for a pair of trophies. Bryant also hosted the meet in 2012, finishing third in the women's race and 10th on the men's side.

Times have changed, however, as both teams enter this weekend predicted to finish in the top three in the conference. The women were slated second and the men third in the preseason coaches poll.

Bryant's women have raced in a pack for most of the year and have been led by senior Erin Svensen (Medway, Mass.) and sophomore Elizabeth Willmonton (Rowley, Mass.). Svensen has been one of Bryant's top three runners in all but one meet this year, while Willmonton is coming off a 15th-place finish at last year's championships. Emily McNeil (Shelton, Conn.) has also enjoyed a strong season for the Black and Gold and was the NEC Rookie of the Year in 2013. Staci Rezendes (Ludlow, Mass.), Sarah Lapham (Greenwich, N.Y.) and Brittany Sarza (Uxbridge, Mass.) are also expected to help the Bulldogs on Saturday.

On the men's side, Milan Duka (Belgrade, Serbia) will seek to claim the second All-NEC honors of his career after placing ninth a season ago. He has paced the Black and Gold in all four meets this season. Bryant's strength will be in the rest of the group as veterans Russell Stevens (Colchester, Conn.), Richard Landry (Holyoke, Mass.) and Thomas Mullally (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) are determined to bring a trophy back to Smithfield.

Saturday's championship festivities begin at 11:00 a.m. with the men's 8K race. The women's 5K will start at 12:00 p.m. A live webcast of the event will air on NECFrontRow.com.