Conference

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New Britain, CT -- Monmouth University ended the two-year reign of Central Connecticut State as the Hawks claimed the Northeast Conference Women's Cross Country title on Saturday morning at Stanley Quarter Park, in New Britain, CT.

Monmouth won the meet with 81 points, followed by St. Francis-PA in second with 84 points. UMBC was third (94), and defending-champion Central Connecticut State (100) fourth, followed by Sacred Heart (110), Wagner (116), Quinnipiac (144), Robert Morris (155), Mount St. Mary's (264), Fairleigh Dickinson (320), Long Island (322), and St. Francis (NY) (340) in 12th place.

UMBC's Jen Ecker (Ellicott City, MD) was the Outstanding Performer as the junior won the individual title with a time of 18:30.4. Ecker, who shaved 17.4 seconds off of her meet-winning time from the 1999 NEC Championships, was followed by Robert Morris freshman Erika Suhy (Elizabeth, PA), who crossed the line in 18:39.2, and earned Freshman of the Year honors. 

Third-place went to Elizabeth Pile (Davidsville, PA), a junior from St.
Francis (PA), who posted a time of 18:47.6. Sacred Heart's Katherine Wrinkle (Medford, NY) was fourth in a time of 18:49.0. Fifth and sixth-places went to Wagner College's Megan Haley (Albany, NY) and Jenn Merschoff, with respective times of 18:51.8 and 18:53.0. UMBC's Hannah Benjamin was one second behind Merschoff at 18:54.0. 

Central Connecticut State's top finisher was senior Heather Gardiner (Ontario, Canada), who placed ninth with a time of 18:58.1. Tara Losito (Elmont, NY), a sophomore from Monmouth, posted a 10th-place finish in 19:03.6.

The eleventh-place spot went to St. Francis (PA)'s Elizabeth Kempton, who finished the race in 19.04.4, followed by Lindsay Holmes, a junior from Quinnipiac (19:05.9).

Joe Compagni, head coach of Monmouth, was named the 2000 Northeast Conference Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.