Manfra Captures Crown, Women’s Cross Country Take Second at GNAC Championships
In the first-ever 6K GNAC Championship, Suffolk women’s cross country shined with a second-place overall showing highlighted by Emily Manfra’s individual crown Saturday afternoon at the Saint Joseph’s (Maine) course.
STANDISH, Maine – In the first-ever 6K GNAC Championship, Suffolk women's cross country shined with a second-place overall showing highlighted by Emily Manfra's individual crown Saturday afternoon at the Saint Joseph's (Maine) course.
The Rams were the league's runner-up for the second straight season as Colby Sawyer captured the crown with a team score of 44.
Manfra clocked in at 23:11 to top the 94-runner field and finish 48 seconds of runner-up Shannon O'Connell of Colby Sawyer. Behind her 6:13 pace the Stoneham, Massachusetts, native claimed GNAC Runner of the Year status for the first time in her career and is the second Ram to do so behind her co-captain Emma Weisse, who accomplished the feat a year ago. The first-place finish also garnered a spot on the conference's first team, the third-such honor for the senior, which ties Weisse for the most by a Rams' runner in the record books.
On her first collegiate conference championship course, Marin Stamer claimed 10th behind a time of 25:29, good for a spot on the second-team, along with Skyler Spanbeaur, who took 13th, clocking in at 25:48.
Savannah Goddeeris finished inside the top 20th with a 26:02 showing to take home 17th, while Olivia Chilcott, who cross the finish line 17 seconds later, was outside the top 20 in 21st.
Mai Linh Vankirk came through the finisher's chute in 27:58 to take 39th.
Natalie Fay (28:50) and Sarah Lawton (29:03) rounded out the Rams in Vacation Land.
Suffolk now turns its attention to the regional race set for Saturday, Nov. 16 in Brunswich, Maine.
