District of Columbia Women’s Cross Country Selected 9th in ECC Preseason Poll
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – The University of the District of Columbia women's cross country team was picked to finish 9th of 10 teams in the East Coast Conference Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches.
The Firebirds finished 8th of 9 teams at last year's ECC Championships meet led by Simone Grant's (Health Education – Bronx, NY/Pelham Prep Academy) team-best 5K time of 22:27. Rochelle Nelson (Mass Media – Kingston, Jamaica/Holmwood Tech HS) returned from an early season injury to finish 2nd for UDC at that race in 23:05.
Grant, a sophomore, and Nelson, a senior, are two of 10 returning runners from last year's roster. Head coach Alton McKenzie has also added two freshmen recruits: Kay-Tiarra Johnson (Psychology – Hempstead, NY/Hempstead HS) and Charmaine Sweeney (Computer Science - Landover, MD/Largo HS).
Roberts Wesleyan was picked as the favorite to win the ECC Championships with 93 points despite being ineligible in their final year as provisional NCAA Division II members. They finished 1st in the ECC Championships in 2012 but were not crowned ECC champions.
Coming in 2nd place in the poll was reigning ECC Champion, St. Thomas Aquinas with 89 points. LIU Post finished with 86 points to round out the top three.
NYIT's Gladys Kimutai was named ECC Women's Preseason Runner of the year for the 2nd consecutive year. In 2012, she earned her second First Team All-ECC honor after finishing in 2nd place at the ECC Championship meet.
2013 ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
2013 ECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
School Pts.
1. Roberts Wesleyan (7) 93
2. St. Thomas Aquinas (2) 89
3. LIU Post (1) 86
4. Molloy 63
5. Dowling 54
6. NYIT 51
7. Queens 41
8. Daemen 40
9. District of Columbia 31
10. Bridgeport 17
( ) –first place votes