XC Looks to Finish Strong at Regional Championship

JUSTIN FORTIER ’18
STAFF WRITER
At the 2016 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Cross Country Championships on Saturday Nov. 5 the Men’s Cross Country team claimed 11th place. The race kicked off in the early afternoon at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. The conditions were less than ideal for strong performances, and proved problematic for the Bantams. The wet and drizzling weather brought a disappointing finish for the Bants, Zachary Joachim ’19 led the Trinity runners, crossing the line in 29th place overall at 26:54.13. After the lead runner could not crack the top ten, let alone the top 25, the chances for a strong team finish quickly evaporated. The rest of the top five for the Bantams trickled in with Ace McAlister ’20 logging a 39th place finish with a time of 27:05.98. Illinois native, Lucas Duros ’19 slotted in the Bantam’s third place position at a deep 73rd place. Spencer Brown ’20, and Gabriel Julien ’19 barely kept the Trinity scoring leadership under the top 100 runners overall finishing in 95th and 97th place, respectively. It is clear that this is a rebuilding year for the Bantams, who lack any significant upperclassmen firepower. The significant first-year contribution leaves the team optimistic for seasons to come.
The Women’s Cross Country team did not fare much better than the Trinity men in the NESCAC finals. The ladies took 10th place in a completion that was held at 6 p.m. the same day, and the same course as the men’s competition. Just like the men’s team, the women’s squad has some respectable developing talent, but lacks the veteran top performers needed to win a competitive Division III conference. Oftentimes, the NESCAC sets the pace for the nation-wide competition and is the most consistent performing conference among schools between 1,000-5,000 undergraduates. In the competition, Caroline Sullivan ’19 led the Bantams with a time of 24:32.81 to secure 50th place. Lauren Barrett ’19 and Anna Barnes ’19 finished side by side to earn 64th and 65th place for Trinity.
Briana Daley ’18 and Grace Harrison ’20 posted times of 24:59.97 and 25:09.72, respectively, to earn 70th and 74th place. The Trinity women, proved to have a tighter grouping than their male Bantam counterparts, squeezing seven runners in the top 100. Captain Sophie Long ’17 and Hannah Ells ’18 clocked times of 25:33.95 and 25:36.79, good for 86th and 88th place, respectively.
The men and women compete again in the NCAA Division III Regionals on Nov. 12 at Westfield State. There is not a lot of optimism about the remaining prospects for this season, as the men finished dead last in the NESCAC and the women only bested Hamilton. Williams College is in a strong position for the DIII regionals for both men and women. The women’s Williams Ephs, drove and exceptional performance, gapping the runner up Tufts, 47-72, compared to Trinity coming in at a score of 250. The top seven Williams women runner finished within the top 25 of the whole NESCAC.