University of New Hampshire won both the America East Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships at the University at Albany course Saturday. The Wildcat men won their third-straight conference championship while the women ended Boston University’s seven-year run as champion.
2003 America East Championship--Men's Results
2003 America East Championship--Women's Results
Boston University’s Jochen Dieckfoss, who covered the 8K course in 24:50, became the second four-time individual champion in the 16-year history of the men’s championship. Dieckfoss, who established a course record and ran the 11th fastest time in history, joined former Terrier Karl Rasmussen, who won from 1993-95 and again in 1997, as the only individuals to win in each of their four collegiate seasons.
The New Hampshire women placed three of the top five runners en route to a team score of 42. Stony Brook University, led by individual champion Jackie Nunez, who covered the 5K course in 17:31, was second with a team score of 70. Albany was third with 112, followed by Boston University with 116 and Binghamton University with 117. University of Vermont, led by Michele Palmer’s fourth-place individual finish in a time of 18:11, was sixth with team score of 131. University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) was seventh with a score of 154, followed by University of Maine (155), Northeastern University (176) and University of Hartford (325).
New Hampshire’s Lesley Read (17:35), Caitlin Hayes (18:04) and Megan Hepp (18:16) finished second, third and fifth respectively. Katie Litwinowich (18:39) and Allison March (18:47) finished 14th and 18th, respectively, to round out the team score.
Nunez broke her own course record, set two weeks ago at the Albany Invitational, by a second. Her time tied for the sixth best in the 15-year history of the America East Women’s Cross Country Championship.
The New Hampshire men were bolstered by Anthony Truax (24:43), Stephen Meinelt (24:56) andTim Perry (25:48), who finished second, third, and ninth, respectively. An 11th place finish by James Olson (25:51) and a 15th place finish by MacKenzie Kilpatrick (26:07) led the Wildcats to a team score of 40. Albany, led by Andy Allstadt, who finished fifth with a time of 25:10, was second with a team score of 64. Boston University followed with 74. UMBC was fourth with a score of 114. Maine was fifth with 115. Stony Brook, which saw Dale Summerville (25:10) finish fourth, was sixth with a team score of 145. Binghamton (201), Vermont (222), Northeastern (234) and Hartford (295) rounded out the field.
New Hampshire’s coaching staff, led by head coach Jim Boulanger, was selected the season’s coaching staff of the year in voting conducted by the conference’s coaches.