Week 2 - September 12, 2023
NE10 Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Wondu Summa, Franklin Pierce
Junior | Burlington, Vt.
Summa finished runner-up by 1.4 seconds at Bryant's Nassaney Invitational in a time of 15:08 for the 5K - a pace of 4:53 per mile.
NE10 Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Tess Drury, Saint Michael's
Freshman | Richmond, Vt.
Drury won her second meet in as many college starts on Saturday, taking home the 58-runner Maple Syrup Challenge 5K in 19:16.79. The race also doubled as the Vermont Intercollegiate Championship, as Drury became the first freshman from any school to take a state crown since 2015. In the process, she bested all 18 runners from perennial Division III power Middlebury while beating the runner-up, one of her Saint Michael's teammates, by 8.02 seconds.
NE10 Men's Cross Country Rookie of the Week
Mendo Alonso, Franklin Pierce
Freshman | Málaga, Spain
Alonso debuted as the Ravens No. 3 runner, finishing the 5k with a time of 16:04 as the 31st scoring runner at Bryant's Nassaney Invitational. His finish was first among freshman from non-Division I institutions. His pace was 5:11 per mile.
NE10 Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Week
Tess Drury, Saint Michael's
Freshman | Richmond, Vt.
Drury won her second meet in as many college starts on Saturday, taking home the 58-runner Maple Syrup Challenge 5K in 19:16.79. The race also doubled as the Vermont Intercollegiate Championship, as Drury became the first freshman from any school to take a state crown since 2015. In the process, she bested all 18 runners from perennial Division III power Middlebury while beating the runner-up, one of her Saint Michael's teammates, by 8.02 seconds.
NE10 Weekly Honor Roll
Mohammed Abunar, New Haven (So. - Trumbull, Conn.)
Abunar led the Chargers in their first meet of the season, the Wesleyan Cardinal Invitational. The sophomore finished the 6k course in a time of 19:27.2, fourth overall with an average time of 5:13 per mile. His time was also 16 seconds faster than his time on the same course a year ago.
Elsie Kaas, New Haven (So. - Elverson, Pa.)
Kaas led the Chargers at their season-opening event, the Wesleyan Cardinal Invitational, finishing the 5k course in a time of 20:46.1, finishing seventh overall in the field of 33 runners and helping lead her team to a second place finish. Her time of 20:46 was also 95 second faster than she finished the exact course a season ago.
Noah Taracena, Saint Michael's (Sr. - Hampton, N.H.)
Taracena took third among 82 finishers on Saturday in the Maple Syrup Challenge 8K in 27:40.98. He trailed only two runners from Middlebury, which is ranked 22nd nationally in Division III.
Briana Grecco, Southern Connecticut (Jr. - Thomaston, Conn.)
At the Nassaney Invitational, Briana Grecco was the Owls' top finisher in 41st place with a time of 19:24.8.
Jeremy Rivera, Southern Connecticut (So. - Colchester, Conn.)
At the Nassaney Invitational hosted by Bryant University, Rivera was the Owls' top finisher, crossing the 5K finish line at 16:16.7 for 37th place overall.
