CROSS COUNTRY HAS STRONG SHOWING AT GNAC CHAMPIONSHIPS; FORESTER EARNS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS

BRISTOL, R.I. - Norwich University won both the women's and men's races on Saturday afternoon to sweep the 2017 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Cross Country Championships, which took place at Colt State Park. Emmanuel College had a strong showing in both races as the Men earned Runner Up honors in the 10 team field while the women placed third overall in the 12 team field.

CROSS COUNTRY HAS STRONG SHOWING AT GNAC CHAMPIONSHIPS; FORESTER EARNS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS
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October 28, 2017

BRISTOL, R.I. - Norwich University won both the women's and men's races on Saturday afternoon to sweep the 2017 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Cross Country Championships, which took place at Colt State Park. Emmanuel College had a strong showing in both races as the Men earned Runner Up honors in the 10 team field while the women placed third overall in the 12 team field.

Norwich University senior Haddie Lary (Randolph, Vt.) was the women's individual winner with a 5K time of 19:18, while NU junior Brody Hale (Naugatuck, Conn.) was the men's individual champion, leading the way with a time of 27:09 in the 8K race. Both were honored as the respective GNAC Runners of the Year in a post-meet ceremony as a result of their first-place finishes. 

Norwich won the women's race with 57 points, edging out Simmons College who finished second with 62 points followed by Emmanuel in third with 93 points.

EC freshman Stephanie Forester (East Walpole, Mas.) earned GNAC Rookie of the Year honors as the top first-year finisher in the women's race with a time of 19:56 for a seventh place finish. Classmate Pearl Vercruysse (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) was just behind her in 8th place with a time of 20:08.  Junior Reilly Boyle (Wells, Maine) was next to finish, crossing the line in 18th place with a time of 21:04. Junior Katherine Holmberg (Easton, Mass.) finished 29th with a time of 21:56 while sophomore Jordyn Gonsor (Springfield, Mass.) rounded out the top five with a time of 22:13 for 21st place.

The Norwich men took home their 10th GNAC crown in program history with just 18 points, while runner-up Emmanuel totaled 68 points. Emmanuel was followed by Regis in third,

For the Saints, sophomore Patrick Carty (Sweeden, Maine) finished third overall in the championship with a time of 27:46 while sophomore Erik Brobst (Freeport, Maine) had a strong showing with a ninth place showing in 28:47. Freshman Trevor Hajj (Gilmanton, N.H.) clocked in at 29:55 in 19th place while junior Brandon Fitzpatrick (Tewksbury, Mass.) wasn't far behind in 23rd place with a time of 30:34. Rounding out Emmanuel's top five was freshman Matthew Cronin (Coventry, R.I.), registering a time of 30:51, good for 28th place.

Norwich head coach Nick Cooper was named the GNAC Men's Coach of the Year, while Eric Ashe was voted the GNAC Women's Coach of the Year by his peers. 

Founded in 1995, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Each year, the GNAC sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunities and community involvement.

MEN

First-Team All-GNAC
 Brody Hale, Norwich
Adam Saucier, Norwich          
Patrick Carty, Emmanuel (Mass.)                   
Jack McNally, Norwich                              
Ryan English, Norwich                              
Trenton Shimata, Norwich                            
Connor Lafontaine, Norwich                         

Second-Team All-GNAC
 Korey Leonard, Norwich           
Erik Brobst, Emmanuel (Mass.)            
Mike Flowers, Mount Ida                   
William Rapsas, Norwich                             
Jovan Sematimba, Regis (Mass.)
 Christian De Boer, Norwich              
Colter Sheveland, Norwich      

Runner of the Year: Brody Hale, Norwich
Rookie of the Year: Trenton Shimata, Norwich           
Coach of the Year: Nick Cooper, Norwich
Institutional Sportsmanship Award: Regis

All-Sportsmanship Team

Tim Austin, Anna Maria
Patrick Carty, Emmanuel
David Sherman, Johnson & Wales
Troy Gonsalves, Lasell
Derek Folish, Mount Ida
Connor Lafontaine, Norwich
Sean Toomey, Regis
Yash Jagtap, Rivier
Lucas Fisher, Saint Joseph's
Paulo Guedes, Suffolk

WOMEN

First-Team All-GNAC
 Haddie Lary, Norwich                              
Emma Weisse, Suffolk                       
Molly Curtin, Regis (Mass.)                       
Magdalene Mann, Regis (Mass.)                        
Sarah Bohan, Simmons                            
Robyn Hageman, Norwich                            
Stephanie Forester, Emmanuel (Mass.)                   

Second-Team All-GNAC
 Pearl Vercruysse, Emmanuel (Mass.)                   
Samantha Jaffe, Simmons                            
Mia Tompkins, Saint Joseph (Conn.)                  
Allegra Egizi, Simmons                             
Maddie Boucias, Regis (Mass.)                       
Victoria Barlow, Johnson & Wales                       
Marisa Quirion, Saint Joseph's (Me.)

Runner of the Year: Haddie Lary, Norwich
Rookie of the Year: Stephanie Forester
Coach of the Year: Eric Ashe, Simmons
Institutional Sportsmanship Award: Norwich

All-Sportsmanship Team
 Mackenzie, Shurtleff, Anna Maria
 Reilly Boyle, Emmanuel
 Alison King, Johnson & Wales
 Shannon Hart, Lasell|
 Elizabeth Backer, Mount Ida
 Melissa Hango, Norwich
 Madison Boucias, Regis
 Anna Pearsons, Rivier
 Mia Tompkins, Saint Joseph (Conn.)
 Marisa Quirion, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
 Mary Coletti, Simmons
 Michelle Kearney, Suffolk