BRUNSWICK, Maine — The season came to a close for the UMPI cross country teams at the NCAA Div. III Northeast Regional Championships held Nov. 10 at Bowdoin College.
All seven of the team’s female runners recorded personal bests on the six-kilometer course, according to coach Chris Smith, with freshman Valentine Degiovanni of Nice, France, again leading the way for the Owls with a time of 25 minutes and 43 seconds. She came in 230th place overall out of the 399 finishers.
Irina Norkin of Denmark, Maine, was 253rd overall and second for UMPI in 26:11 and Emmy Churchill of Washburn (26:55), Kendra Silvers (27:30) and Chenoa Jackson of Wilton (29:32) were the next fastest Owls. Rebecca Griffin (34:57) and Jenny Sanborn (42:40) were the team’s other competitors.
Smith cited the performance of Silvers, a sophomore from North Berwick who shaved 1:31 off her previous best run on the same course six weeks earlier.
“Kendra ran a superb race full of heart and grit,” Smith said. “She showed the determination that makes for quality performances when it counts. Her efforts, along with the personal records set by all seven of these women is indeed impressive. We’re very proud of this performance.”
UMPI finished 49th overall out of 57 teams and was second, behind only UM-Farmington, among North Atlantic Conference squads.
The Owl men went into the championships with a couple of team members hampered by injuries, but others picked up the slack and two established personal bests.
Andrew Hunt of Peterborough, New Hampshire, was the leader for the Owls as the senior clocked the eight-kilometer course in 30:03, which was a personal best and put him 266th overall. Nino Manzella of Queensbury, New York, was next for UMPI and 292nd overall in 30:47.
Hunter Dionne of Raymond (31:55), Kyle Davis of Addison (32:39), and Devon Maynard of Perham (33:00) were the team’s other scorers, while Sean Miller of Presque Isle (33:15) was the other Owl running a personal-best time.
As a team, UMPI came in 53rd out of 58 institutions.
“We had our ups and downs with injuries and a few with illness,” Smith said, “but with five or six returning runners along with the incoming freshmen, we’ll be looking to move up in both the NAC and New England rankings next year.”
