SPICKARD WINS CAA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP

Friday, October 27

Newark, Del.

10 a.m.

James Madison University

CAA Championships, White Clay Creek State Park

10/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country

NEWARK, Del., Oct. 27, 2006 -- James Madison senior Dena Spickard (Marion, Va./Marion) won the women's race at the Colonial Athletic Association Cross Country Championships hosted by Delaware Friday morning.

Spickard completed the race in 21 minutes, 33 seconds on the 6,000-meter course at White Clay Creek State Park.

She finished nearly 10 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. William and Mary senior Meghan Bishop placed second in 21:42.8.

Six William and Mary runners placed in the top 10 as the Tribe won its fourth straight CAA team championship. W&M finished with 25 points, and Georgia State was second with 83 points, with JMU close behind with 87 points.

JMU sophomore Christy Ward (Midlothian, Va./James River) placed 11th with a time of 22:35.3, earning All-CAA honors along with Spickard.

The Dukes have produced the CAA champion five of the last six years. Shannon Saunders won the race in 2004 and 2005, and Mollie DeFrancesco was the CAA winner in 2001 and 2002.

Other top finishers for the Dukes included junior Michelle Beardmore (Front Royal, Va./Warren County), 23rd in 23:12.8; sophomore Aspen Foster (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox), 30th in 23:41.5; freshman Emily Hellmuth (Arlington, Va./Yorktown), 34th in 23:49.2; freshman Amber Lussier (Stafford, Va./North Stafford), 42nd in 24:01.9; and junior Kelly Payne (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee), 43rd in 24:05.

Other JMU runners included freshman Brittany Lussier (Stafford, Va./North Stafford), 45th in 24:08.8; freshman Erin Bender (Winchester, Va./ Handley), 46th in 24:13; sophomore Caitlin O'Malley (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee), 50th in 24:21.7; senior Jennifer Chapman (Centreville, Va./Westfield), 51st in 24:26.7; and junior Gina Casella (Charlottesville, Va./Western Albemarle), 64th in 24:56.3.

There were 94 runners who completed the race.

Team Standings:
1. William and Mary, 25
2. Georgia State, 83
3. James Madison, 87
4. Delaware, 121
5. Towson, 143
6. Northeastern, 159
7. Hofstra, 163
8. Virginia Commonwealth, 208
9. North Carolina Wilmington, 210
10. George Mason, 284