RIVERDALE, NY – The No. 17 Iona College women’s cross country team won its first ever NCAA Northeast Regional Championship in impressive fashion earning the program’s second team bid into the NCAA Championship in program history. Junior Kate Avery earned the individual title for the Gaels, topping teammate Rosie Clarke by more than 23 seconds to earn the crown. Senior Tara Jameson was the third Gael performer in the top 10 with a sixth place finish.
Avery finished the 6k event in 19:49.45. Clarke finished second in 20:12.84 while Jameson came in four runners later in 20:19.66. Junior Regina Neumeyer was the Gaels fourth finisher in 21:08.62 and 28th place. Senior Marlene Delices finished 54th (21:32.79) to round out the Gaels’ scorers.
With a team score of 91, Iona – the No. 1 ranked team in the region heading into the event – won the team race by 37 points over Providence. The Friars earned the region’s second automatic bid into the NCAA Championship. Dartmouth was third followed by Syracuse and Boston College.
The Gaels will compete in their second ever national championship as a team following a performance in 2006. Iona is ranked in the national poll this year for the first time since that season. The meet will be held in Terre Haute, IN next Saturday (Nov. 22).
Race results here.