[Pcalumnixctrack] Providence College Cross Country Set To Open 2016 Campaign With Annual UNH Tri-Meet

[Brendan T Sullivan]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 2, 2016
Contact: Brendan Sullivan (401) 865-1245

Providence College Cross Country Set To Open 2016 Campaign With Annual UNH Tri-Meet
The Women's race will begin at 10:45 a.m., while the Men will go off at 11:15 a.m.

PROVIDENCE R.I.-  The Providence College Cross Country men's and women's programs opens up their season with a Tri-meet against the University of New Hampshire and Holy Cross on Sept. 3 with the women's race beginning at 10:45 a.m. and the men's race beginning at 11:15 a.m. This meet has been the traditional season opener for Providence Cross Country program. The men have begun their campaigns competing against UNH every season for the past 30 years. The women started their tradition of opening up against the Wildcats 20 years ago. Last season, both the men and women took home the victory, with the men scoring 15 points and the women scoring 16. Both the men's and women's teams enter the season nationally ranked. The men are ranked 21st in the nation and second in the Northeast region while the women are ranked third in the nation and first in the Northeast region.

The women will look towards graduate student Sarah Collins (Basil, Switz.) and seniors Katie Lembo (Penfield, N.Y.) to lead them in the season opener. Collins looks to pick up where she left off last Cross Country season, which saw her win the BIG EAST Championships and earn All-America honors with a 20th place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

Lembo looks to continue her steady improvements. Lembo finished third at the BIG EAST Cross Country championships last fall. During the track season, Lembo lowered her personal bests to 16:11.53 in the 5,000-meters and 9:21.13 in the 3,000-meters. Lembo also had a runner-up finish in the 10,000 meters at the Outdoor BIG EAST Track Championships last spring.

The meet will also feature the debut of transfer Millie Paladino (Morgantown, W.Va.) Paladino transferred to Providence from West Virginia after qualifying for the NCAA Cross Country Championships, where she finished 77th. Also making their debut for the Friars will be freshmen Abbey Wheeler (Elmira, N.Y.) and Alexandra DeCicco (Sachem, N.Y.).

Graduate Student Julian Oakley (Tauranga, New Zealand), Senior Hugh Armstrong (Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland) and Junior Thomas O'Neill (Middletown, N.J.) look to lead the Friar men. O'Neill has won the UNH Tri-meet the past two years. He looks to make it three in a row this year. O'Neill finished 15th at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships last fall.

Oakley was the top Friar for most of the 2015 cross country season. He finished ninth at the BIG EAST Championships and 16th at the Northeast Regional meet, earning All-BIG EAST and All-Northeast Regional honors. Oakley went on to earn First Team All-America honors in the Indoor Mile at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Armstrong finished 12th at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships last season. Armstrong then enjoyed a breakout track season in which he lowered his personal bests in the 3,000 meters (8:16.35), 5,000 meters (14:09.79) and the 10,000 meters (29:16.73). Armstrong also qualified for the NCAA East Regional meet in the 10,000 meters.

Follow @FriarsXCTrack on Twitter for live updates.

-GO FRIARS! -
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