BOSTON, Mass. – The Emmanuel College Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Teams hosted the 6th Annual Saints Invitational Meet at Franklin Park on Friday evening. Twenty-four colleges and universities were represented by over 300 runners, making up the largest field in the six-year history of the meet.  Despite high winds and muddy conditions, a new meet record was set in the men’s race. Johnson & Wales University took the team championship for the men, placing three runners in the top four.  Lesley University won the women’s 5k with four runners placing among the top ten finishers.

Salem State University junior Alex Gomes took the individual honors on the men’s side, setting a new meet record with a time of 25:59 in the 8k race.  The 2009 Saints Invitational winner, Greg Redfield from Johnson & Wales, placed 2nd with a time of 26:17. Redfield was the prior meet record-holder for the men.  Redfield’s teammates, Jeff Hartman and James Vance, finished 3rd and 4th respectively with 8k times of 26:20 and 26:37. Babson College senior Kyle Fitzpatrick took 5th place, finishing in 27:05.

Johnson & Wales finished with a total of 40 points, with runners scoring in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 12th and 19th place.  Babson College finished in second place with 62 points, while host Emmanuel College placed third with a team total of 99 points.

In the women’s 5k race, Babson College’s sophomore Charlotte Margel and freshman Natalie Cullings ran 1st and 2nd, finishing in 19:48 and 20:35, respectively.  Emerson College sophomore Heather Hoglund ran third in a time of 20:36. Babson junior Michelle Black ran close behind in 4th with a time of 20:36, while Community College of Rhode Island freshman Jackie Hurteau rounded out the top five with a time of 20:38.

Lesley University’s team championship came with 38 points and included placing runners in 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 12th place.  Babson College took second place in the women’s race as well, scoring 57 points.  Worcester State University placed 3rd with a total of 58 points.

The Colonels were led by senior Kendra Lapierre (Hollis, NH), who finished in 49th place with a time of 23:14. Other Curry finishers were junior Kelly Johnson (Burlington, Mass.), 24:15, (67th), senior Kimberly DeCosta (Hudson, NH), 24:36 (72th), sophomore Amanda Ledin (Stoughton, MA), 27:09 (95th), and senior Lindsay Sheehan (Salem, NH), 34:04 (116th).

Curry returns to action on Saturday October 30, for the TCCC Championship at Roger Williams for a start time of 12:00 p.m.

(Release courtesy of Emmanuel College Sports Information)