SMITH LEADS GAELS AT STONY BROOK

KINGS PARK, NY - The Iona College women's cross country team opened up the 2009 campaign at the Seawolves Invitational at Sunken Meadow State Park. The Gaels raced against Manhattan, Quinnpiac along with the host Seawolves and finished third overall. Graduate Leonie Smith was the second overall finisher to lead the Gaels.

Smith's time of 15:13.36 was just under three seconds faster than the third place finisher - Caroline Cortes from Stony Brook. Freshman Chelsea Hanson made her Maroon & Gold debut and finished ninth overall in 15:51.16 on the 4,100-meter course. Senior Samantha Tibbits, junior Chelsea Brisman and rookie Erin Brady also scored for the Gaels.

The Gaels will be back in action in dual meet with Harvard at Franklin Park in Boston, MA next Friday (Sep. 11) at 4:30 pm.

Seawolves Invitational
Sunken Meadow State Park - Kings Park, NY
Sept. 5, 2009 - 4.1k

Iona Finishers
Pl. Name                Yr        Time
2.  Leonie Smith        SR    15:13.36
9.  Chelsea Hanson      FR    15:51.16
16. Samantha Tibbits    SR    16:20.70
18. Chelsea Brisman     JR    16:34.27
23. Erin Brady          FR    17:29.30
26. Clare Halligan      SR    17:54.43

Top 10 Finishers
Pl. Name                Yr  School                Time
1.  Laura Huet          SR  Stony Brook       14:56.49
2.  Leonie Smith        SR  Iona College      15:13.36
3.  Caroline Cortes     JR  Stony Brook       15:16.08
4.  Kristal Conklin     SO  Stony Brook       15:18.95
5.  Lisa Voltaire       JR  Stony Brook       15:23.59
6.  Rebecca White       FR  Quinnipiac        15:39.30
7.  Kelly Sorrell       SO  Quinnipiac        15:39.69
8.  Kristen Stevens     SR  Quinnipiac        15:40.09
9.  Chelsea Hanson      FR  Iona College      15:51.16
10. Holly Banaian       SO  Quinnipiac        16:04.31

Team Scores
Pl. Team         Pts
1.  Stony Brook   24
2.  Quinnipiac    46
3.  Iona College  66
4.  Manhattan     90