Somerset, NJ -- St. Francis (PA), the four-time defending NEC women’s cross country champion, is again the heavy favorites to once again capture the NEC title according to a poll of league head coaches. The Red Flash, led by three-time NEC Coach of the Year Scott Catone, received eight first place votes overall. Quinnipiac, Monmouth and Sacred Heart predicted to finish second, third and fourth, respectively, with one first place vote apiece, look to be top contenders to knock-off the Red Flash. Rounding out the poll are Wagner, Robert Morris, Mount St. Mary’s, St. Francis (NY), Central Connecticut State, and Fairleigh Dickinson and Long Island.

St. Francis (PA) will look to a talented trio of all-conference juniors to maintain its dominance over the NEC. Whitney Schnarr (Waterloo, Ontario/Waterloo Collegiate) raced to a second place finish (18:51.7) at last year’s NEC meet. Taryn Gibson (Cannonsburg, PA/Cannon McMillan) and Erika Jacobs (Toronto, Ontario/West Hill Collegiate) both earned all-conference accolades last season when they finished sixth (19:21.4) and 11th (19:30.0), respectively, at the championships. Expected to make an immediate impact is freshman Brittany Long (Royersford, PA/Perkiomen Valley), who is fresh off a third place finish at the Pennsylvania Class AAA Championships as a high school senior last year.

Quinnipiac nearly toppled the Red Flash at last season’s championship behind the first-place finish and record-setting performance of senior Katie Gwyther (Madison, NH/Kennett). Gwyther, a three-time NEC Athlete of the Week in 2004, crushed the course record of 18:36.5 by crossing the tape in 18:03.5, earning her the NEC Outstanding Performer award. Alongside Gwyther will be 2004 NEC Rookie of the Year Caitlin Brady (West Sayville, NY/Sayville). Brady finished fourth (19:04.2) at last year’s meet.

Monmouth returns two top-ten runners from last season’s third place finish at the NEC Championships. Leading the way is senior Katina Alexander (Pleasantville, NJ/Pleasantville), who finished third overall (18:55.9). Joining her on the quest to upset the Red Flash is classmate Kristin Wallace (Oswego, NY/Oswego). Wallace placed seventh (19:21.7) a year ago to win all-conference accolades. Another notable returnee for the Hawks is junior Malia Lyles (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), who finished 15th (19:47.2) in 2004. Lyles missed all-NEC honors by 0.1 seconds.

Five other all-NEC harriers return from 2004. Sacred Heart’s Kathleen Duffy (Monroe, CT/Masuk) crossed the line in fifth place (19:19.7), while Central Connecticut State’s Ashley Hill (Kanata, Ontario) finished eighth (19:22.2) and Cristin Mullen (Belle Harbor, NY/Bishop Kearney) of St. Francis (NY) placed 10th with a time of 19:27.3. Wagner has two all-NEC performers returning in Meaghan Robbins (Waymart, PA/Western Wayne) and Maris Reutzel (Meadville, PA/Meadville). Robbins (19:33.5) and Reutzel (19:41.7) finished 12th and 13th, respectively, at last year’s event.

The 2005 NEC Women’s Cross Country Championships will take place on Saturday, October 29 on the campus of St. Francis (PA). All eleven NEC schools will compete.