MANCHESTER, N.H. (October 24, 2021) -- Graduate student Bethaney Donnelly (Manchester, United Kingdom) collected All-Northeast-10 Conference First Team honors on Saturday morning, as she finished fourth, to lead the way for the Franklin Pierce University women's cross country team at the NE10 Championship, hosted by Saint Anselm. It marked the highest-ever individual finish at the NE10 Championship for the Ravens, who put together a 10^th-place finish, at the 14-team event.

In addition to Donnelly's plaudits, graduate student Alena Masterson (Pelham, N.H.) was named as the NE10 Elite 24 Award recipient for women's cross country. The Elite 24 Awards are presented at each NE10 Championship site to the participant with the highest grade-point average. It is the third straight year Masterson has won the award.

Donnelly raced a time of 22:26, to place fourth out of 135 runners in the 6k event. The time also established a new program record at the 6k distance for the Ravens.

Sophomore Victoria Van Houten (Wantage, N.J.) was the next Raven to finish, as she took 59^th for her 25:50 time. She was followed by senior Alana Thompson (Westampton, N.J.), who claimed 77^th for her 26:39 time. Crossing the line in 27:03 was sophomore Meghan Sheline (Southington, Conn.), who took 86^th. In 95^th was sophomore Megan Foley (Beverly, Mass.), who ran a time of 27:22 to round out Franklin Pierce's scoring five.

It added up to 267 points for the 10^th-place Ravens, who finished 15 points behind ninth-place Bentley (252 points) and seven points clear of New Haven (274 points) in 11^th place. At the top of the field, American International (40 points) won its first NE10 women's cross country title, with a 12-point upset victory over 11-time defending champion Stonehill, which finished second (52 points). Southern New Hampshire (64 points) rounded out the top three.

On the individual front, it was a one-two for a pair of AIC freshmen, as Fransiscah Cherotich (21:20) claimed the NE10 title and was followed across the line by Mercyline Kimalyo (21:44). In fourth, Donnelly was sandwiched by a pair of SNHU runners. Junior Ashley Corcoran (22:21) took third, while senior Jill Couto (22:51) finished fifth.

Farther back for Franklin Pierce, Masterson was in 96^th for her 27:29 performance. Sophomore Jenna Parent (Tyngsboro, Mass.) ran a time of 28:27 to take 114^th. Junior Alexis Collins (Monroe, N.H.) posted a time of 30:22 to take 121^st. Finishing out the day were sophomores Emma Cutter (Newburyport, Mass.) in 134^th and Kelsey Gregorio (New Boston, N.H.) in 135^th. They crossed the line in 34:09 and 36:12 respectively.

The Ravens have an open weekend next week, before championship season continues on Saturday, Nov. 6, with the NCAA Championship East Regional, to be hosted by Roberts Wesleyan, in Rochester, N.Y.