Firebird Women Complete Cross Country Season With Strong Finishes at ECC Championships

BROOKVILLE, NY - Led by an exceptional effort from freshman Simone Grant, the University of the District of Columbia women's cross country team wrapped up its season with strong individual efforts at the East Coast Conference Championships, hosted by LIU Post.

Grant (Health Education - Bronx, NY/Pelham Prep Academy) was District of Columbia's first finisher with a time of 22:27 for 45th overall among 77 runners. She was followed closely by junior Rochelle Nelson (Mass Media - Kingston, Jamaica/Holmwood Tech HS) and senior Callister Jones (Marketing - Fort Washington, MD/Oxon Hill HS). Nelson returned from an early season injury to complete the 5K course in a time of 23:05 for 50th overall and Jones was 51st with a time of 23:17.

Fourth for District of Columbia was sophomore Kimoy Mais (Mass Media - St. Andrew, Jamaica/St. Andrew HS) in a time of 23:46, and she took 56th place overall. Freshman Christina Baker (Forensic Psychology - Kingston, Jamaica/Collegiate Institute for Math & Science) rounded out the scoring for the Firebirds with a time of 24:54 for 64th overall.

Sophomore Jerily Benjamin (Queens, NY/Philip Randolph HS) and freshman Marlena Wright (Journalism - Bronx, NY/Dewitt Clinton HS) followed next in 65th and 66th place - sixth and seventh, respectively, for the Firebirds in 25:09 and 25:20. Junior Jeania Bagley (Journalism - Forestville, MD/Friendly HS) finished 74th for District of Columbia in 25:51.

Head coach Alton McKenzie said the team continued to do today what it has done all year - compete as a unit.

"Today's performance bodes well for our team as we head towards the end of cross country and the beginning of Indoor Track and Field," McKenzie said. "They ran very well, and I couldn't ask for more from the team. We can't wait to take advantage of all this great work we've put in this fall."