2010 SEASON IN REVIEW
Dec. 20, 2010
The Emmanuel Men's and Women's Cross Country Teams wrapped up an exciting 2010 season with great finishes in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC Championship and fine performances in the NCAA New England Regionals. The Emmanuel men ran second as a team at the GNACs, while the Emmanuel women placed 4th out of the 12 competing programs. The Saints competed in seven meets over the course of the season and Emmanuel's Head Coach Tony DaRocha was named the 2010 GNAC Men's Cross Country Coach of the Year, an honor he received for the 3rd time in his tenure at Emmanuel.
The men's team was led by junior transfer Abdi Ibrahim (East Boston, Mass.), who took first place in back-to-back meets to open the season for the Saints. Ibrahim won Emmanuel's dual-meet with Emerson, finishing the 5k race in a course-record time of 16:21.20. Ibrahim followed up this performance by winning the Lt. Travis Fuller Invitational hosted by Massachusetts Maritime Academy on September 11th. His 5-mile time of 25:35 broke the course record and the Emmanuel program record, while leading the Saints to a first place team finish in the meet. Ibrahim was subsequently named the GNAC Runner of the Week for both weeks, receiving the honors on 9/6/10 and 9/13/10. His 4th place finish at the GNAC Championship earned him 1st Team All-Conference honors, as well as GNAC Rookie of the Year for 2010.
Team co-captains Stephen Armstrong (Revere, Mass.) and Maurizio Turco (Revere, Mass.) had great seasons this fall. The duo typically ran 2nd and 3rd respectively for the Saints. Both runners ran their personal bests this season in Emmanuel's dual meet on September 4th and at the Travis Fuller Invitational on September 11th.
Coach DaRocha, who just competed his 10th season with the Saints, was pleased with the performances of his freshman class. Rookies, Michael Morris (Stoughton, Mass.) and Nathan Bruno (Lenox, Mass.), scored in several meets for the Saints this season. Morris ran 3rd for Emmanuel in the NCAA Regionals and he was also named to the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll on October 18th after his 28:45 time in the 5-mile race at the Saints Invitational.
Sophomore Alen Smajic (Revere, Mass.) was also a top runner for the Emmanuel men this season. Smajic was a top five runner in several of the Saints' meets this season. In fact, Smajic finished as Emmanuel's 3rd scorer and the 14th runner overall in the GNAC Championship on October 30th.
The Emmanuel Women's Cross Country Team met the 2010 campaign with great success. The team kicked off the year with consecutive wins. Emmanuel topped both Emerson College and Wheelock College in a tri-meet to open the season. The Saints then traveled to Buzzard's Bay, Massachusetts and took first place in the Lt. Travis Fuller Invitational.
Sophomore co-captain Joslyn DelSignore (Taunton, Mass.) led the way for Emmanuel this season. DelSignore was selected the GNAC Runner of the Week on September 6th to open the season. She then placed 3rd overall at the Travis Fuller Invitational with a 5k time of 19:26. Later in the season, DelSignore received GNAC Weekly Honor Roll recognition. The sophomore ran first for the Saints and placed 10th overall at the GNAC Championship on October 30th. Her 10th place finish earned her 1st Team GNAC All-Conference honors.
Senior Alison Lynch (Pawtucket, R.I.) ran her first season of cross country this year. The rookie senior scored 2nd for Emmanuel in the Saints' first two meets of the year. Lynch was voted the GNAC Rookie of the Week on 9/6/10.
Freshman Danielle Martin (York, Me.) also received GNAC Rookie of the Week honors twice this season (9/13/10 and 10/18/10). Martin scored 2nd for the Saints four times during the year. She also finished 1st for Emmanuel in the NCAA Regionals. Martin was named to the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll on October 4th and achieved her personal best time on five different occasions this season.
Junior Brittany Sorice (Dover, N.H.) was a consistent top-five scorer for Emmanuel this season. Sorice achieved personal bests in the opening two meets of the season. Senior co-captain Maureen Kellett (Westborough, Mass.) ran among Emmanuel's top five for a couple meets this year. The Saints also received scoring performances from freshmen Kelly Ulf (Lunenburg, Mass.) and Kayla D'Angelo (Pittsburgh, Pa.), sophomore Julie Young (Derry, N.H.) and junior Stephanie Gomes (Ludlow, Mass.).
Both, Ibrahim and Kellett represented the Emmanuel Cross Country Teams on the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team. The two were selected to represent the Saints by having displayed tremendous sportsmanship throughout the 2010 season.
The Emmanuel men will return 13 of their 14 runners in 2011. The Saints will lose senior Ben Cleveland (Auburn, Me.) to graduation this May. The Emmanuel women will return 17 of their runners next season, losing both Kellett and Lynch to graduation. Both DaRocha and Assistant Coaches Alice Kramer and Will Feldman will return to 2011, looking to lead the veteran squad to a GNAC Championship.