Wilmington Cross Country Teams Compete at NCAA Division II East Region Championships; Fontal Earns All-Region

Wilmington Cross Country Teams Compete at NCAA Division II East Region Championships; Fontal Earns All-Region

Copyright 2015; Wilmington University. All rights reserved. 

HOPKINTON, N.H. - - The 2015 Wilmington University cross country season came to a close on Sunday, as the men finished 12th and the women 19th at the NCAA Division II East Region Cross Country Championships at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds.

The women finished 19th of 28 teams with 487 points while the men finished 12th of 28 teams with 318 points. Senior Megan Ferrick led the women with a 41st place finish as junior Ken Fontal paced the men with an 11th place finish.

Ferrick finished the 6K event in 23:12.0 to lead the Wildcats at the Regional Championship. The Wildcats were the fourth team in the standings from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, finishing behind Philadelphia (9th), Nyack (11th), and USciences (17th).

Freshman Tori Vickers finished 80th for the Wildcats, crossing the line in 24:19.2. Junior Rachel Jones was the third Wildcat finisher, finishing 93rd overall in 24:45.6. Senior Bailey Brooks gave the Wildcats 119 points with a 121st place finish, crossing the line in 25:25.2. Junior Christine Czajkowski closed out the Wildcat scoring with a 158th place finish, earning 155 points with a time of 26:32.9.

Freshman Tara Langan and senior Morgan Ferrick rounded out the Wildcats on the course on Sunday, as Langan finished 169th overall with a time of 27:51.4 and Ferrick finished 174th in 28:26.1.

Fontal missed reaching the NCAA Division II National Championship meet by three runners, finishing 11th overall and the sixth individual not on an advancing team. Fontal needed to be one of the first three individuals not on an advancing team to earn the invite. Fontal finished the 10K event in 32:00.8. He was named All-Region after finishing inside the Top-25. 

Sophomore Andrew Milham was the second Wildcat to finish the 10K event, placing 49th overall with a time of 33:24.9. Senior Kevin McLaughlin placed 59th overall in 33:45.6 classmate Quinn Marvel finished 89th overall for 84 points in 35:01.5. Freshman Miguel Suero wrapped up the team scoring for the Wildcats with a 120th place finish, earning 115 points in 26:12.6.

Freshman Manuel Suero finished right behind twin brother Miguel, crossing the line in 26:12.7 and in 121st overall. Freshman Ryan Wilson rounded out the Wildcats on the course with 125th place finish in 36:16.7.

The Wildcats were the first CACC team to place in the Regionals, beating out the other seven conference teams in the race. 

Stonehill, Roberts Wesleyan, and St. Thomas Aquinas advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship for the women while American International, Bentley, and Stonehill move on for the men.

Stonehiell's Nicole Borofski won the women's 6K event by 22 seconds, crossing the line in 21:12.5. American International's John Chirchir won the men's 10K event by nine seconds, crossing the line in 30:49.0.