DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Cross Country Concludes BIG EAST Conference Championship
10/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | CROSS COUNTRY
KENOSHA , Wis. - Matthew Graham inked his name in the DePaul record books as the first BIG EAST All-Conference honoree in cross country after placing 14th today at the 2009 BIG EAST Championships held at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course. As a team, the men's squad recorded its best finished since entering the league in 2005, breaking into the top-10 for the first time and claiming ninth place.
Due to the large amounts of rain in the Midwest over the past month, course conditions were extremely muddy as 115 student-athletes traipsed along the nationally renowned course. Despite the less than ideal conditions, Graham kept pace with the leaders and trailed just one runner after the first third of the 8K trek. While remaining in the lead pack the entire race, the sophomore crossed the finish line in 14th place behind a time of 25:17.
Adding points to the Blue Demon's score was Max Rodrigues, who clocked a time of 27:12 for 58th place. The freshman improved his season-best team finish to number two, after previously logging points as the fourth and fifth DePaul runner to cross the line. Completing the challenging course just behind him was senior Greg Udzielak, who finished in 64th place for 58 points.
Sophomore Brian Begalke kept pace with his teammates to take home a 73rd place finish with a time of 23:34. Rounding out the Blue Demon top-five was freshman Frank Deaton, who tallied 80 points after registering a time of 28:25. Max Clink also contributed a time of 30:39.
Syracuse becomes just the seventh men's squad to ever claim a BIG EAST Championship cross country title, winning the league crown for the first time with 55 points. Georgetown placed second with 61 points, while Villanova tallied 76 points for third place. The Blue Demons earned 271 points in its ninth place effort.
Louisville's Cory Thorn was named the 2009 BIG EAST Champion after pacing the field with a first-place time of 24:44.
Women's RecapKENOSHA, Wis. - The DePaul women's cross country squad walked away from the 2009 BIG EAST Conference Championship in 11th place, up two spots from a year ago. Mary Cate Quiett was the top finisher for the Blue Demons for the fifth time this season, while Toni Salvatore recorded a career-best effort in the women's 6K race at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course.
Villanova, the No. 2-ranked squad according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association poll, won its second-straight title and league-best 12th all-time. The Wildcats went one-two as Sheila Reid took home the individual crown with a time of 20:46, while Amanda Marino was the runner-up champion.
As the muddy course, already disheveled from the men's race earlier, became increasingly challenging, junior captain Quiett stepped up for DePaul with a time of 22:58 to earn 49 points. Toni Salvatore contributed a career-best 6K time, placing 63rd behind a time of 23:30; good enough for 58 points.
Packed together were Claire O'Brien, Terah Cheatham, Kelly Pickering and Stephanie Hughes, who all finished within six seconds of one another. O'Brien claimed the third spot on the Blue Demon's leader board, collecting 70 points after crossing the finish line at the 23:54 mark. Cheatham and Pickering finished one right after another to collectively add an additional 143 points to the board and wrap up the DePaul top-five. Hughes, who finished just one spot behind Pickering, recorded a time of 24:00.
Stacy Schmitz and Kelsey Dolan both had personal-record performances, clocking times of 24:25 and 24:36, respectively. Kim Boisvert logged the final Blue Demon time of the day, completing the race in 25:19.
The DePaul men's and women's cross country team continues post-season action at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 14 in Springfield, Mo.
Women's Race Highlights:
Men's Race Highlights: