New Hampshire's Povec, UMBC's Zwama, Run Away With Performer Of The Week Honors

New Hampshire's Povec, UMBC's Zwama, Run Away With Performer Of The Week Honors

Bookmark and Share

CAMBRIDGE, Mass- Senior Kim Povec (Holland-Patent, N.Y./Whitesboro) of the University of New Hampshire and Paul Zwama (Groningen, Netherlands/CSG Dingstede), a sophomore at UMBC, grabbed first-place finishes in their respective races and went home with this week’s America East male and female Performer of the Week awards.

Povec took first place at the Murray Keatinge Invitational on Saturday, October 4, where three of the six teams she ran against were ranked in the top-eight of their respective regions. Her time of 18:05.38 in the 5k set her more than two seconds ahead of her closest competition. Povec’s performance helped propel her team ahead of America East rival Maine, after the Wildcats fell to the Black Bears in a heart-breaking five-point loss last week.

Zwama, who has been the top finisher for UMBC in all three meets thus far, ran for a first-place overall finish at the Towson Invitational on Friday, October 3, leading his team to its second victory of the year. Zwama posted a time of 26:33 in the 8k, four seconds ahead of second-place teammate Anthony Kelhower.

Albany- The Great Danes competed in the Towson Invitational this week, where the women took home second out of eight schools, and the men, third. Freshman Emily Fung was a strong presence for the women in the absence of top-runner Laura Cummings, finishing in fifth-place with a time of 18:52 in the 5k- her fastest performance of the season. Fung was supported by three other top-10 finishers for the women. On the men’s side, Brian Yurkewecz paced the squad with a 26:37 time and a third-place finish. Yurkewecz was just four seconds behind the race leader, and was followed by teammate R.J. Sniffen who finished in ninth. Both teams return to action on Saturday October 18, when they host the 42nd Annual UAlbany Invitational.

Albany's Story

Binghamton- The Bearcats were one of three America East teams to run in the Paul Short Invitational in Lehigh, Pa. on Friday afternoon. The men’s team was lead by sophomore Erik van Ingen who completed the 8k in a time of 24:37 and secured a 42nd-place finish. The women’s leader was senior Jamie Shulte who ran the 6,000-meter course in 22:16. The men finished 20th out of 45 teams while the women brought home 31st of 43.

Binghamton's Story 

Boston U.- The Terriers did not compete this week as they gear up for the New England Championships on October 11, in Boston, Mass. The women will hope to repeat last year’s third-place finish, the top out of the America East participants.

Hartford- The Hawks did not compete this week, but will return to action on Saturday, October 11, when they head to Boston for the New England Championships. Among their opponents will be America East contenders Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Boston University.

Maine- The Black Bears hosted the Murray Keatinge Invitational on Saturday, running against America East rival New Hampshire, along with three programs ranked within the top-eight of their respective regions. Senior Miles Bartlett was the first to cross for the Black Bear men, completing the five-mile course in a time of 25:11.23 and earning a 26th-place finish. For the women, freshman Corey Conner finished 12th overall, pacing her team with an 18:43.44 time in the 5k. The Black Bears return to action on October 11, when they head to Boston for the New England Championships.

Maine's Story

UMBC- The Retrievers had a powerful performance at the Towson Invitational on Friday, earning a first-place overall win for the men, their second in three meets. Paul Zwama, this week’s performer of the week, was the overall winner of the race with a time of 26:33 in the 8k, and has now paced the men in every race this season. For the women, junior Sara Parkinson was the leader across the line, taking home first place with an 18:14 finish in the 5k. It was a hard fought win for Parkinson, as she edged out the second-place finisher by only a second. The women finished third out of seven teams on the day.

UMBC's Story

New Hampshire- New Hampshire took on a heavy course load in the Murray Keatinge Invitational at the University of Maine on Saturday. The Wildcat women managed to rebound after a heartbreaking five-point loss at the hands of the Black Bears last week, finishing fourth out of seven teams. The women trailed only Duke, Boston College, and Yale- all within the top-eight in their respective region. Senior captain Kim Povec, this week’s performer of the week, outpaced the competitive field, finishing the five-kilometer race in a time of 18:05.38 and taking home first place. For the men, senior Brent Powers finished 12th overall with a 25:27.49 time in the five-mile race, helping the men secure third out of seven talented teams.

UNH Men's Story

UNH Women's Story

Stony Brook- The Stony Brook women soared to the top of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s (USTFCCCA) regional polls this week, earning first-place in the Northeast after two weeks in third behind Boston College and Providence. The squad’s strong showing at the Notre Dame Cross Country Invitational on Friday helped the Seawolves leapfrog the regional competition. Sophomore Holly Van Dalen was the first to cross for Stony Brook, finishing 20th17:08 in the 5k. The team finished fourth overall in the 47-team meet, 12 of which were nationally-ranked according to last week’s polls. with her time of

The men ran in the Paul Short Invitational on Friday, taking 19th out of 45 teams. Pacing the men was sophomore Tim Hodge with a time of 24:07 in the 8k and an 11th-place overall finish. Both squads return to action in a Pre-NCAAA Meet in Indiana on Saturday, October 18.

Stony Brook's Story

Vermont- The Catamounts swept the 2008 Vermont Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships on Saturday, with junior Doug Maisey finishing first for the men. Maisey ran the 8,000-meter course in 26:57.1 making this his second individual title of the season. Four other catamounts would follow, securing five top-10 spots for Vermont. For the women, senior Diana Purtz was the first Catamount to cross, securing third-place with her time of 18:59.7 in the 5,000-meter race. The support Purtz received from her teammates is what propelled the team to victory as Vermont secured fourth, sixth, and seventh place. Both teams return to action in Boston for the New England Championships on October 11.

Vermont's Story