Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Sat., Sept. 16, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cross Country

Fredonia State women win own invitational

PORTLAND, N.Y. -- The home course was just what the Fredonia State women needed Saturday to earn head coach Nolan Swanson his first meet win in three seasons at the helm.

The Blue Devils, ranked No. 10 in the 56-team NCAA Division III Atlantic Region, defeated No. 8 Rochester Institute of Technology and Houghton College in the Fredonia State Invitational over the 5,000-meter Lake Erie State Park course.

Freshman Jessica Bennett (Rochester/West Irondequoit) and senior Rachel McNamara (Lakeview/Nardin) were second and third, overall, to key the Blue Devils' two-point win over RIT. The victory avenged a 45-37 loss when the teams met one week ago in Rochester.

In addition, Bennett nearly ran down RIT's Trisha Slicker, who was a repeat Fredonia Invitational women's winner in a time of 19:34. Bennett was clocked in 19:36. She trailed Slicker by 16 seconds when the two met last week in Rochester.

McNamara crossed the line in 20:10 while junior Samantha Ellwood (Hamburg/Hamburg) was eighth in 21:09, senior Aimee Milks (Binghamton/Chenango Forks) ninth in 21:17, and senior Ashley Tramp (Buffalo/Kenmore East) 11th in 21:24 to round out Fredonia State's top five.

The Blue Devil men weren't as fortunate with a third-place finish among the three teams. They were led by freshman Tom Williams (Queensbury/Queensbury), who was sixth overall in 27:57 for 8,000 meters.

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