Eagles Claim Sun Conference Women's Cross Country Title
Results
LAKE WALES, Fla. - For the seventh straight season, the Embry-Riddle women's cross country program won The Sun Conference Championship. The 17th edition of the conference meet was held at the Lekarica Golf Course in Lake Wales, Fla., hosted by Webber International.
The Eagles' Ellie Staker also became the first Blue and Gold runner to claim conference Runner of the Year honors since 2008. Staker won her third individual title of 2012, finishing 19 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Hannah Lieberman of SCAD Savannah in 19:09.90.
Karina Coelho (ERAU), Melanie Novack (SCAD) and Melissa Carder (USCB) all finished in the top five, and were joined by Baleigh Hyatt (ERAU) and Megan O'Boyle (SCAD) on the All-Conference first team.
SCAD's Sally Francis led the second team All-Sun Conference performers, a list that included Aleiyah Ross (ERAU), Nicole Bonk (ERAU), Bailey Eaton (ERAU), Martina Tafoya (ERAU), Lauren Nygren (WIU) and Heather Riniker (SCAD).
Embry-Riddle's 29 total points edge SCAD by six for the team title, newcomer Southeastern (109), the University of South Carolina Beaufort (128) and Webber International (144) rounded out the top five team finishers.
Carder was named the league Newcomer of the Year for being the highest finishing freshman or transfer student in the meet while Bethany Jones of Southeastern was the conference's selection for the 2012 Champion of Character award.
A senior from Pittsburgh, Pa., Jones boasts a 4.0 GPA with 150 credit hours in Accounting, all while being the Southeastern team captain. Jones, who had never ran organized track or cross country before this season has become the team leader of the Fire and is currently the squad's top runner.
Jones is a member, historian and treasurer of the Enactus club, an organization that uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world. Jones has accumulated more than 500 hours of community service, including starting a healthy eating active living initiative for the Florida Baptist Children's home, assisted in career development at Zoe's Journey, a program for previously homeless or incarcerated women, started a project for Generation Y on the importance of financial literacy. Jones also plans on going with a team of Southeastern students on a week-long missions trip to Ireland this November.
Mike Rosolino of Embry-Riddle and Patrick Reagan of SCAD Savannah shared Sun Conference Coach of the Year honors.
2012 Sun Conference Women's Cross Country Championship
1. Embry-Riddle (29)
2. SCAD Savannah (35)
3. Southeastern (109)
4. USCB (128)
5. Webber International (144)
6. Warner (170)
7. Ave Maria (183)
8. Johnson & Wales (230)
9. St. Thomas (232)
10. Florida Memorial (263)
2012 All-Conference
First Team
Ellie Staker, Embry-Riddle
Hannah Lieberman, SCAD Savannah
Karina Coelho, Embry-Riddle
Melanie Novack, SCAD Savannah
Melissa Carder, USCB
Baleigh Hyatt, Embry-Riddle
Megan O'Boyle, SCAD Savannah
Second Team
Sally Francis, SCAD Savannah
Aleiyah Ross, Embry-Riddle
Nicole Bonk, Embry-Riddle
Bailey Eaton, Embry-Riddle
Martina Tafoya, Embry-Riddle
Lauren Nygren, Webber International
Heather Riniker, SCAD Savannah
Runner of the Year
Ellie Staker, Embry-Riddle
Newcomer of the Year
Melissa Carder, USCB
Champion of Character
Bethany Jones, Southeastern
Co-Coach of the Year
Mike Rosolino, Embry-Riddle
Patrick Reagan, SCAD Savannah