FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE CHANGE: Event moved from
Saturday, Oct. 27 to Sunday, Oct. 28
WINTHROP, Mass. – Due to an impending nor'easter set to hit the region this weekend, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference announced on Thursday morning that the 2018 GNAC Cross Country Championships will be pushed back one day to Sunday, October 28. Saint Joseph's College of Maine will remain as this year's host, as the Monks get set to welcome the GNAC's programs and coaches to the SJC Cross Country trail.
The women's 5K race will begin at 1:00 PM, followed by the men's 8K race at 2:00 PM.
In a vote amongst the league's head coaches, the Emmanuel College women received seven of a possible 12 first-place votes to take the top spot in the women's poll with 127 points. The Saints last won the GNAC Championship in 2013 and 2015 – their only two conference crowns in program history. Norwich finished second with 115 points, having won the last two GNAC Championships, while Suffolk University finished third with 112 points. Newest member Colby-Sawyer College and host SJC finished fourth and fifth, respectively, on the women's side.
For the men, Norwich was picked first with 10 first-place votes and 120 points overall. The Cadets have won each of the last three GNAC Championships, and also won in 2012, from 2005-07, and from 1999-2001. Suffolk was second in the men's rankings with one first-place vote and 99 points, followed by Colby-Sawyer with 95 points, Emmanuel with 89 points and SJC with 80 points.
For the complete poll results, please see below.
ABOUT SJC CROSS COUNTRY TRAIL
Originally built in the late 1980's, the cross country course was redesigned in 2006 by former cross country coach Tom Dann. The course is built within the woods of the campus and offers many challenging obstacles. It has many different routes, which create two different courses for the men and woman. Also, included in the trail, is "Monks Misery", known by many as the most challenging part of the course, which goes around Lakeside field and has many hard turns and steep hills that challenge even the most skilled runner.
2018 GNAC Women's Cross Country Pre-Championship Poll
1. Emmanuel (7) - 127
2. Norwich (2) - 115
3. Suffolk (2) - 112
4. Colby-Sawyer - 107
5. Saint Joseph's Maine - 94
6. Regis - 93
7. Simmons (1) - 89
8. Johnson & Wales - 78
9. Lasell - 47
10. Rivier - 33
11. USJ - 22
12. Anna Maria - 19
2018 GNAC Men's Cross Country Pre-Championship Poll
1. Norwich (10) - 120
2. Suffolk (1) - 99
3. Colby-Sawyer - 95
4. Emmanuel - 89
5. Saint Joseph's Maine - 80
6. Regis - 71
7. Johnson & Wales - 59
8. Lasell - 40
9. USJ - 32
10. Rivier - 23
11. Anna Maria - 18
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
– #TheGNAC –