2006 WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY RECAP

NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships @ Voice of America Park (West Chester, OH) – Saturday, November 18, 2006

Senior Kaitlin O’Sullivan concluded her incredible cross country career at Oneonta State with an 146th place finish at the NCAA Championships.  Running over quite possibly the most muddy and wet 6,000 meter course ever, O'Sullivan ran a time of 25:21.  "Kaitlin is very disappointed with today's finish," commented head coach Matt LoPiccolo.  "However, it takes nothing away from what she has accomplished for this program and the College itself.  I am very proud to be her coach!"  Earlier in the season, O'Sullivan placed 3rd at the SUNYAC Championships and became the first woman in school history to enter the SUNYAC XC Hall of Fame.  Her 9th place finish at Regionals last week earned her All-Region honors for the 2nd straight year, a feat that only she has accomplished.  She also earned All-ECAC honors in 2005.  The 2-time outdoor track All-American will now recover, then begin training for the indoor season, which could her strongest yet.


NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships @ Letchworth State Park (Geneseo) – Saturday, November 11, 2006

The Red Dragons placed 16^th out of 30 complete teams with 494 points.  Kaitlin O’Sullivan led the way once again and became the second woman in school history to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships.  The senior placed 9^th overall in a time of 22:55 over the 6,000 meter course.  She was the sixth automatic individual qualifier (out of seven) and booked her trip to the Wilmington College (OH) for the next weekend’s season ending Championship.  It was the second straight year that O’Sullivan earned All-Region honors (top 35).  O’Sullivan’s appearance this weekend will mark 17-years to the day since Susan Lee represented Oneonta State at the 1989 NCAA Cross Country Championships.  O'Sullivan's Classmate Amanda Villari returned from illness to place 114^th in a time of 26:01.  Sophomores Ali Kosinski and Mallory Wright were next for O-State in 115^th and 125^th places respectively, in times of 26:02 and 26:16.  Freshman Margaret Conlon was the final scoring runner in 139^th with a time of 26:34.  Classmate Chelsea Bendert was right behind in 141^st (26:36) while senior Heather Snyder ended her XC career with a 178^th place finish in 28:22.

9^th – Kaitlin O’Sullivan (Sr.), 22:55
114^th – Amanda Villari (Sr.), 26:01
115^th – Ali Kosinski (So.), 26:02
125^th – Mallory Wright (So.), 26:16
139^th – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 26:34
141^st – Chelsea Bendert (Fr.), 26:36
178^th – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 28:22


ECAC Championships @ Mt. Greylock H.S. (Williams College) – Saturday, November 4, 2006

The Red Dragons placed 15^th out of 35 teams with 535 points.  Freshman Margaret Conlon led the way for the Red Dragons in 94^th place with a personal best time of 25:54 over the rolling 6,000 meter course.  Sophomores Mallory Wright and Ali Kosinski were right behind in 102^nd and 103^rd with identical times of 26:04.  Freshman Chelsea Bendert was two places back in 105^th with a personal best time by over two minutes in 26:12.  Senior Heather Snyder was the 5^th scoring runner in 151^st place with another PR of 27:22.  The Red Dragons will be back at full strength next week at the NCAA Atlantic Regional where seniors Kaitlin O’Sullivan and Amanda Villari will return after resting this weekend.

94^th – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 25:54
102^nd – Mallory Wright (So.), 26:04
103^rd – Ali Kosinski (So.), 26:04
105^th – Chelsea Bendert (Fr.), 26:12
151^st – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 27:22


SUNYAC Championships @ Beaver Island State Park – Saturday, October 21, 2006

Oneonta State placed 6^th out of 10 teams with 171 points.  Senior Kaitlin O’Sullivan placed 3^rd overall and became the first woman in school history to earn SUNYAC Hall of Fame honors.  A student-athlete earns induction into the Cross Country Hall of Fame by placing in the top 5 once, top 10 twice, or top 15 three times at the SUNYAC Championships during his or her career.  O’Sullivan ran a time of 23:37 over 6,000 meters of thick mud to also earn first team All-SUNYAC honors.  Freshman Margaret Conlon was next for the Red Dragons in 51^st place with a time of 27:18.  Sophomore Mallory Wright and senior Amanda Villari were together in 54^th and 55^th places with times of 27:37 and 27:41, respectively.  Freshman Chelsea Bendert was the 5^th scoring runner in 67^th place.  In her first 6K race of her career, she ran 28:28.

3^rd – Kaitlin O’Sullivan (Sr.), 23:37
51^st – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 27:18
54^th – Mallory Wright (So.), 27:37
55^th – Amanda Villari (Sr.), 27:41
67^th – Chelsea Bendert (Fr.), 28:28
69^th – Ali Kosinski (So.), 28:40
80^th – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 29:40
92^nd – Sara Drollette (So.), 31:10
95^th – Chloe Morra (Fr.), 32:55


Hamilton College Invitational – Saturday, October 7, 2006

Oneonta State placed 3^rd out of 9 teams with 97 points, edging the host school Hamilton College, by 1 point and avenging an early season loss.  Kaitlin O’Sullivan set the pace for the Red Dragons.  She placed 2^nd overall in a time of 17:37 over the 5K course, dominating runners from Ithaca and Hartwick Colleges who beat her earlier in the season.  Classmate Amanda Villari was next in 23^rd place with a time of 20:23.  Sophomore Mallory Wright had the best race of her career, in placing 26^th in a time of 20:34.  Classmate Ali Kosinski placed 40^th with a time of 21:00.  Freshman Margaret Conlon placed 50^th in a time of 21:24 and was the 5^th scoring runner.

2^nd – Kaitlin O’Sullivan (Sr.), 17:37
23^rd – Amanda Villari (Sr.), 20:23
26^th – Mallory Wright (So.), 20:34
40^th – Ali Kosinski (So.), 21:00
50^th – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 21:24
60^th – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 21:51
83^rd – Chloe Morra (Fr.), 24:18
85^th – Sara Drollette (So.), 24:28


Paul Short Invitational @ Lehigh University – Friday, September 29, 2006

The Red Dragons placed 21^st out of 27 teams with 518 points at the highly competitive Open race.  Despite being decimated by injuries and sickness, O-State still had a few bright sports.  Senior Kaitlin O’Sullivan turned in the most impressive race in the history of Women’s Cross Country at Oneonta in placing 4^th overall in a time of 21:46 over the 6,000 meter course.  Her time shattered her own school record by over one minute, which was set last year at the Atlantic Regional Championship at Genesee Valley Park.  “Kaitlin proved today that she is one of the best runners in the country,” commented head coach Matt LoPiccolo.  Sophomore Mallory Wright narrowly missed her 6k personal best, in placing 257^th in a time of 25:37.  Classmate Ali Kosinski turned in her best race of the year in placing 288^th in a time of 26:08.  Freshman Margaret Conlon placed 293^rd in a time of 26:12 in her first ever 6k race.  Senior Heather Snyder stepped up and was the 5^th scoring runner in 342^nd with a personal best time of 27:15.

4^th – Kaitlin O’Sullivan (Sr.), 21:46 (SR)
257^th – Mallory Wright (So.), 25:37
288^th – Ali Kosinski (So.), 26:08
293^rd – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 26:12
342^nd – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 27:15


Oneonta State Airfield Invitational @ Fortin Park – Saturday, September 16, 2006

O-State placed 3rd out of 6 complete teams with 90 points, 2 ahead of 4th place Hamilton College.  Senior Kaitlin O'Sullivan finished 3rd in a time of 16:57 over the 4,500 meter Fortin Park course to lead the charge.  Classmate Amanda Villari had an outstanding race, placing 22nd in a time of 19:02, 31 seconds faster than 2 weeks earlier.  Freshmen Chelsea Bendert and Margaret Conlon finished 36th and 43rd, respectively, in times of 19:42 and 19:51.  Sophomore Mallory Wright was right behind in 46th place (20:05) to clinch 3rd place for the Red Dragons.

3^rd – Kaitlin O’Sullivan (Sr.), 16:57
22^nd – Amanda Villari (Sr.), 19:02
36^th – Chelsea Bendert (Fr.), 19:42
43^rd – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 19:51
46^th – Mallory Wright (So.), 20:05
66^th – Ali Kosinski (So.), 21:14
71^st – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 21:49
85^th – Sara Drollette (So.), 24:36
86^th – Chloe Morra (Fr.), 25:10


Hartwick College Fast Course 5K – Saturday, September 16, 2006

The Red Dragons won the battle of Oneonta with a 20-39 victory over host Hartwick College.  Oneonta took places 2-7 in securing the win.  Seniors Kaitlin O'Sullivan and Amanda Villari went 2-3 in times of 18:52.6 and 21:01.6, respectively over 5,000 meters.  Freshman Margaret Conlon was 4th in 21:43.7.  Sophomore Mallory Wright and Ali Kosinski rounded out the scoring in 5th and 6th in times of 22:12.6 and 22:46.5, respectively.

2^nd – Kaitlin O’Sullivan (Sr.), 18:52.6
3^rd – Amanda Villari (Sr.), 21:01.6
4^th – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 21:43.7
5^th – Mallory Wright (So.), 22:12.6
6^th – Ali Kosinski (So.), 22:46.5
7^th – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 22:52.5


Oneonta State Early Bird Invitational @ Fortin Park – Saturday, September 2, 2006

The Red Dragons opened the 2006 season by tying for the team win with Plattsburgh with 38 points each.  Senior Kaitlin O’Sullivan led the way by placing second in a time of 16:57, which broke the previous meet record of 17:06.  Classmate Amanda Villari followed in sixth place with a time of 19:33, with freshman Margaret Conlon on her heels in seventh with a time of 19:35.  Junior Mallory Wright finished ninth in a time of 19:52.  Freshman Chelsea Bendert, in her first cross country race of her running career, rounded out the scoring for O-State in fourteenth place with a time of 20:17.  “This is a good start to the season,” commented head coach Matt LoPiccolo.  “The women executed the race plan and we ended with a very positive outcome.”

2^nd – Kaitlin O’Sullivan (Sr.), 16:57
6^th – Amanda Villari (Sr.), 19:33
7^th – Margaret Conlon (Fr.), 19:35
9^th – Mallory Wright (So.), 19:52
14^th – Chelsea Bendert (Fr.), 20:17
15^th – Ali Kosinski (So.), 20:27
20^th – Heather Snyder (Sr.), 21:17