(Posted November 12, 2005)

Carlisle, Pa. ? The Juniata College men?s and women?s cross country teams capped some of the best seasons in the program?s history with a pair of top-10 finishes at the NCAA Mid-East Regional Championships in Carlisle on Saturday. The Juniata women earned a ninth-place finish among 42 teams while the Juniata men placed 10th of 40 teams at the meet. Each finish was the top regional team effort for Juniata over the past 10 years. The Juniata women?s previous-best was a 10th-place finish in 1997, while the men?s best effort was 16th last season.

WOMEN?S

As she has done all season, senior Katey Glunt (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) paced the women?s team, earning a top-25 finish to claim All-Region honors. She placed 23rd in the race, besting her 34th-place finish from last season. She covered the course in a time of 23:38.4. Another Juniata senior Nancy Hayes (Westminster/Westminster, Md.) placed second for the Eagles, running a time of 24:14.0 for a 42nd-place finish. Lia Bella (Morris Hills/Rockaway, N.J.) enjoyed a 64th-place finish for the Eagles, running home with a time of 24:42.3. Juniata?s top-five then closed it out with a pair of close efforts, freshman Meghan Jones (Meadville/Meadville) placed 82nd in her first regional race and fellow freshman Aubrey Cyphert (Seneca/North East) was 86th. Juniata finished with 297 points, besting the previous best total of 307.

MEN?S

Juniata senior Chris Sheaffer (Central York/York) earned a career-best 23rd-place finish in his final race, and narrowly missed becoming the first Juniata runner to earn a berth in the NCAA Division III Championships. Sheaffer ran a time of 26:42.9 as he was just two places shy of earning a spot in the National Championships. His effort is still the best-ever finish for a Juniata men?s runner at the Regional Championship. Sheaffer?s senior teammate Justin Fritzius (Central York/York) earned a 58th-place finish and posted a time of 27:32.8. Juniata?s third senior Mike Vella (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) finished third for Juniata running a time of 27:35.8, good for a 63rd-place finish. Junior Mike Chirdon (Riverview/Verona) placed 95th for Juniata, running a time of 28:17.7. Freshman Tripp Rudolph (Upper St. Clair/Pittsburgh) completed Juniata?s top-five with his 106th-place finish by running a time of 28:29.5. Juniata finished the meet with 345 points, more than 100 points better than its effort last year.

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