DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Women's Cross Country Concludes Conference Championship
10/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | CROSS COUNTRY
KENOSHA, 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 women's cross country team continues post-season action at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 14 in Springfield, Mo.