EDISON, NJ – In the annual preseason coaches' poll, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference head coaches have selected the Monmouth University women's cross country team to finish fourth at the championships, while placing the men in sixth, league officials announced Thursday morning. The 2015 MAAC Cross Country Championship, hosted by Rider, is scheduled for October 31, 2015 at Rosedale Park in Pennington, NJ.
The women accumulated 79 points for its fourth place prediction, 42 points behind unanimous number one selection Iona. Quinnipiac was selected second of the 11-team league with 105 points, five tallies in front of Marist. Rider landed in fifth, four points behind the Blue and White, while Canisius and Siena were slated sixth and seventh with 69 and 56 points, respectively. Manhattan (50), Fairfield (35), Niagara (23), and Saint Peter's (13) complete the field.
Monmouth, which finished fourth at the conference championships last season, returns all but one of its top-seven finishers. The Hawks welcome back Jenna Cupp (Newark Valley, NY/Newark Valley), Allie Wilson (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven), Molly McKeon (Royersford, PA/Pope John Paul II) and Kendal Hand (Howell, NJ/Howell) who finished as MU's top four, while also returning Sydney Engelberger (Great Barrington, Mass./Monument Mountain RHS), who captured All-East honors a year ago.
The Gaels were tabbed to finish first on the men's side, also capturing the max 121 points. Canisius was selected second by the head coaches, earning 109 points, 15 tallies ahead of Quinnipiac. Marist earned fourth with 82 points, while Rider captured fifth with 73 points. Fairfield trailed the Hawks by 15 points, while Siena (51), Manhattan (39), Niagara (23) and Saint Peter's (13) complete the field.
The Blue and White welcome back five of its top-seven from last year's squad. Seniors Graham Huggins-Filozof (Freewood Acres, NJ/Freehold Township) and Domenick D'Agostino (Wallington, NJ/Wallington), both All-East honorees from last season, and Kevin French (Fishkill, NY/John Jay) return to pace the team. Benjamin Dillon (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East), who finished second overall for the Hawks last year at the MAAC Championships and also captured All-East accolades, looks to build off his successful first year for the Blue and White.
Monmouth opens the 2015 campaign on September 5th with the Monmouth XC Kick-Off at Thompson Park in Lincroft, NJ. Starting gun for the first race is set for 9 a.m.
