New Rochelle, NY - The Iona College men's and women's cross country teams are set to host the 17th Annual Br. John "Paddy" Doyle / Meet of Champions on Saturday (Sep. 17) at historic Van Cortlandt Park. The field consists of 23 men's and 24 women's teams in each race featuring regionally ranked teams across NCAA Div. I, II and III.

IMPORTANT LINKS:
Iona College Athletics Home
Course Map (PDF)
Direct Athletics Meet Home
FastTrack Timing
Meet of Champions Home
Official Meet Program (PDF)

RACE TIMES:
9:30 a.m. - Women's Championship 6K
10:15 a.m. - Men's Championship 8K

THE MEN'S FIELD:
Highlighted by host and No. 4 ranked Iona College, nine regionally ranked Division I teams are featured in the 2011 Meet of Champions' race field. The Mid-Atlantic region is represented No. 7 Penn, No. 10 Lehigh and No. 14 Temple. The Gaels' Northeast rivals in the meet consist of Columbia (5th), Marist (9th), Albany (10th), Brown (11th) and Army (15th). Division II No. 9 Edinboro (1st, Atlantic) along with No. 11 UMass-Lowell (1st, East) highlight five regionally ranked Divison II and III squads in the field.  Rounding out the race field are Boston College, Fairfield, Hofstra, Manhattan, Morgan State, and Siena from Division I along with Findlay, Millersville, Robert Morris (Ill.), Shawnee State and West Florida

THE WOMEN'S FIELD:
Iona - ranked No. 14 in the Northeast - joins three other squads that are participating in the race and ranked in their region. The Gaels' regional rival Boston College (7th) joins the Mid-Atlantic's No. 8 Pennsylvania and No. 10 Lehigh in the women's race field. Division II No. 14 Edinboro and No. 19 Millersville join East Region No. 4 UMass-Lowell and South No. 8 West Florida on Saturday morning. Rounding out the field are Albany, Army, Brown, Columbia, Conn. College, Fairfield, Findlay, Hofstra, Manhattan, Marist, Morgan State, Robert Morris (Ill.), Shawnee State, Siena, St. John's and Temple.

IONA MEN'S OUTLOOK:
Seven runners will represent the Gaels including five from last year's eighth place finish at the 2010 NCAA Championship. Seniors Matt Bayley, Mitch Goose, Leonard Korir, and Alexander Soderberg join junior Craig Murphy on the line to start the season for the Gaels.  The Maroon & Gold quintet will be joined in the Meet of Champions by senior Colin Culhane and sophomore Chris Stogsdill.  Senior Ben Lindsay, the lone returner from the NCAA Championship not in action on Saturday will make his debut later this season.

IONA WOMEN'S OUTLOOK:
Nine competitors will represent Iona at the 2011 Meet of Champions.  Juniors Erin Brady, Chelsea Hanson, Marion Joly-Testault and Luci McLoughlin and sophomores Katie Niblock, Kirsten Stewart and Courtney Veilleux are veterans joining newcomers Hollie Rowland and Lauren Calvino in Iona's lineup.  Joly-Testault was Iona's top finisher in 2009 while Veilleux is the top returner for the Gaels from last year's event.

TOP 10 MEN'S RETURNERS:
Four top 10 performers from last year's Meet of Champions return in 2011 led by Brown senior Matt Duffy and Iona senior Alexander Soderberg, the third and fourth place performers in 2010.  The 2010 race marked the start of the season for eventual three-time All-American Leonard Korir, who finished 10th in the meet.

3.  Matt Duffy           Brown          25:10.33
4.  Alexander Soderberg  Iona           25:14.75
9.  Aliaksandr Leuchan   Albany         25:26.84
10. Leonard Korir        Iona           25:28.79
13. Paul Lagno           Albany         25:34.78
16. Michael Mitchell     Army           25:37.34
18. Evans Kosgei         Lehigh         25:44.90
25. Barrett Lehardy      Army           25:58.38
26. Chris Burke          Albany         25:59.62
31. Austin Snyder        Brown          26:05.02

TOP 10 WOMEN'S RETURNERS:
Penn junior Lesie Kovach and Brown sophomore Margaret Connelly headline last year's performers returning for 2011.  The Ivy League duo finished second and third overall. With a senior laden squad competing for Iona last season, sophomore Courtney Veilleux is the lone scorer for the Gaels in this year's event.

2.  Leslie Kovach        Penn           21:54.05
3.  Margaret Connelly    Brown          22:06.34
10. Katherine Pierce     Lehigh         22:25.92
17. Bree Shugarts        Brown          22:37.84
21. Emily Finnegan       Albany         22:46.42
25. Marcie Nordt         Army           22:57.43
26. Margaret Diacont     Penn           22:58.43
31. Kathryn Fanning      Albany         23:05.31
32. Kat Grimes           Brown          23:06.22
36. Sara Armstong        Shawnee State  23:13.53