Cross Country Runs For Fourth Straight Heps Title

Cross Country Runs For Fourth Straight Heps Title


Courtesy: Princeton Athletic Communications
Release: 10/29/2009




Courtesy: Princeton Athletic Communications



PRINCETON, N.J. (10/29/09) - Three-time defending Ivy League cross country champions, the Princeton men and women's cross country teams will compete at the 2009 Ivy League Heptagonal on Friday, Oct. 30 at Van Cortland Park.

The women's 5k race will began at 11:15 a.m., and the men's 5-mile race will follow at 12:15 p.m.

Last season the women posted a championship best score of 17, taking first, second, third, fifth and sixth places. Liz Costello won her second straight individual crown, winning the event in a record time. She crossed the line at 16:59.9, the fastest time in championship history. Costello returns for her senior season, along with senior Reilly Kiernan, senior Alexa Glencer and junior Sarah Cummings who all placed in the top 10 last year. If Costello can earn her third scoring crown, she would be the first Ivy Leaguer to do so in 25 years. In addition, the Tigers will have junior Ashley Higginson, junior Liz Deir and sophomore Alex Banfich who paced 9-10-11 last year and have been consistent scorers for the Tigers.

The Princeton women are third in the Mid-Atlantic region, with Penn earning a No. 8 ranking. It's Harvard leading the Ivies in the Northeast, sitting in third place, followed by Cornell in fourth. Brown and Columbia are 7-8 with Dartmouth 10th. The Tigers are the only team in the Ivy League to be in the national rankings, taking the No. 7 slot.

The women have won six championships total since Heps began in 1977. The men have collected 14 titles since its start in 1956.

The men's team posted a championship best score of 58, beating out second-place Columbia by three points in 2008. The Tigers return just two of its scorers from last year in sophomore Brian Leung and junior Rob Speare. Leung took sixth overall with a time of 24:48.8 with Speare coming in less than a minute later. Sophomore Donn Cabral has been one of Princeton's top runners this season, after missing his freshman campaign. Other Tigers likely to score are sophomore Joe Stilin, junior Mark Amirault and sophomore Sean Wilson who have had impressive times thus far this season.

The Princeton men is ranked third in the Mid-Atlantic region, with Penn sitting 10th. In the Northeast, Columbia is fourth followed by Dartmouth in fifth. Cornell, Brown and Harvard are 6-7-8 with Yale 11th.