2023 NE10 Championship Central
Links: Championship History | Record Book
MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Jonathan Volpe & Marsh Twins Interview
Southern Connecticut State is the reigning NE10 champion, capturing its first title since 2018 last fall. SCSU's Jonathan Volpe also took home the individual crown, marking the first time since UMass Lowell's Ruben Sanca in 2008 that a runner from a team other than American International crossed the finish first.
The good news for Volpe is that four of the last five individual NE10 men's champions have been repeat winners with AIC's Leakey Kipkosgei and Michael Biwott each winning three straight. The bad news is an incredible amount of depth returns from the 2022 field. Twelve of the top 20 individual finishers from '22 are back, including the top of the podium of Volpe and Franklin Pierce's Wondu Summa.
Southern Connecticut has continued as the highest ranked NE10 squad this fall, registering votes in the national D2 coach's poll in the first two weeks. The Owls are currently ranked third in the East Region. Franklin Pierce just recently topped the Owls, jumping up a spot in the most recent rankings. Bentley, Assumption, SNHU and Saint Michael's also cracked the regional poll.
Men's Preseason Poll
1. Southern Connecticut
2. Franklin Pierce
3. Southern New Hampshire
4. Assumption
5. American International
6. Bentley
7. New Haven
8. Saint Anselm
9. Adelphi
10. Saint Michael's
11. Saint Rose
12. Pace
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW
Jonathan Volpe & Marsh Twins Interview
There has never been a three-year stretch in NE10 history with three unique women's cross country champions. That is a distinct possibility in 2023.
The NE10 has held 39 previous women's cross country championships, with 28 being won by just two schools: Springfield College and Stonehill. American International ended more than a decade of Stonehill dominance with a title in 2021, followed by Southern New Hampshire in 2022. This fall Southern Connecticut enters as the top ranked program, currently atop the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association East Region rankings.
While it's yet to be seen if there will be three team champions in three years, we do know there will be a new individual champion. There's a vacuum at the top of the podium following the graduation of SNHU's Ashley Corcoran. AIC's Fransiscah Cherotich and Adelphi's Katherine Marsh are the top returning runners from 2022, capturing silver and bronze at the league race respectively.
Cherotich carries favorite status based solely on last season's result, finishing second by almost a full minute. That said, both Marsh and her sister Isabel topped Cherotich head-to-head at the Paul Short Run on September 30th. Each Marsh sister has won a race this fall. Hear their thoughts heading into the championship in the NE10 NOW preview podcast here.
Women's Preseason Poll
1. Southern New Hampshire
2. Saint Anselm
3. Adelphi
4. Southern Connecticut
5. Franklin Pierce
6. American International
7. Assumption
8. Saint Michael's
9. Bentley
10. New Haven
11. Saint Rose
12. Pace
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
