Women’s Cross Country Begins Season at UMass-Dartmouth Invitational Saturday

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College women's cross country team kicked off the 2016 campaign at the UMass-Dartmouth Invitational Saturday afternoon, placing 37th.

Rookie Jael Bourque (Nashua, N.H.) paced the Lions with a mark of 24:32.74 in the 5K course.

Dezirae Maffit (Aurora, Ill.) turned in a time of 26:39.38. Noelle Rudeen (San Gabriel, Calif.) crossed the finish line with a mark of 28:31.47 in her first race.

Eileen Hernandez (Rochester, N.Y.), Rachel Venable (Brewer, Maine) and Sarah Iheduru (Providence, R.I.) also represented Eastern Nazarene.

Brandeis captured the team title while American International's Pascalin Jerotich bested the field with a time of 17:41.79.

A total of 275 runners from 37 squads competed Saturday.

Up next, the Lions will compete at the Gordon Pop Crowell Invitational September 24.