WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PLACES 5TH AT NAC CHAMPIONSHIP  

CASTLETON, VT, Oct. 28, 2006 - Elms College sophomore Jill Bigos (Florence, MA) finished 15th overall in the women's 5k race, and senior Joe Crooks (Chicopee, MA) finished 24th overall in the men's 8k race to lead the Blazers in Saturday's North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Cross Country Championships at Castleton, Vermont.

Bigos finished with a time of 24:54.55 and Elms College freshman Amanda Koch (Williston, VT) finished 17th overall with a time of 25:10.58 to help lead the Blazers to a fifth place finish overall.

Maine-Farmington freshman Emily Farley (Mt. Desert Island, ME) was the top overall finisher with a time of 21:55.92.

Crooks finished the men's race in 35:14.63 to lead the Blazers. Maine-Farmington senior Drew Croteau (Durham, CT) completed the race in 30:03.57 to claim the top spot overall.

Castleton State swept the team title honors as the women recorded a team score of 33, while the men recorded a team score of 45.

The Blazers return to action on Saturday, November 4 when both teams will compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championships at Grafton, Massachusetts.