The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams finished the 2009 slate at the NCAA Division III New England Championship on Saturday in Cumberland, Maine. The women were 24th among 47 scoring teams, while the men took 28th of 48. Sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) was the first Lyon to complete the women's trail, notching a 105th-place showing among more than 300 runners. Freshman Lindsay Petrenchik (Chagrin Falls, OH/Chagrin Falls) and sophomores Savannah Geasey (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth) and Taylor Wills (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) were the next three finishers. Junior Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) crossed the finish line in 101st, while classmate Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston) and freshman Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) were the second and third Lyons, respectively.

The women notched a 24th-place finish among 47 scoring teams, while the men took 28th in a 48-squad field. New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) champion Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Middlebury College tied for the team title on the women's side, while Williams College was victorious for the men.

A quartet of underclassmen led the charge for the women, with sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) covering the 6,000-meter course in 24:31, which was good for 105th place in a field of over 300 runners.

Scavera was followed by freshman Lindsay Petrenchik (Chagrin Falls, OH/Chagrin Falls) and sophomores Savannah Geasey (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth) and Taylor Wills (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane). Geasey and Wills were just three placements and six seconds apart.

Junior Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) was the top Lyon during the 8,000-meter men's run, crossing the finish line in 101st place with a time of 27:24 among 300-plus runners. Kacher was followed by classmate Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston).

Freshman Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) was the third Wheaton runner to finish and was followed by classmate Jake Dunn (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) and senior Miles Souza (Norton, MA/Saint Sebastian's School), who were five placements and eight seconds apart.

Kimberly Nash

Monica Black

Savannah Geasey

Four sophomores earned accolades from women's cross country, as the squad set a program record for academic all-league nods. The team last had as many as three qualify in 2006. Monica Black (North Kingstown, RI/North Kingstown), Savannah Geasey (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth), Kimberly Nash (Tempe, AZ/McClintock) and Taylor Wills (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) each drew their initial college honor.

Miles Souza

Taylor Wills

Nick Kacher

Both of the men's cross country team's captains picked up laurels, with senior Miles Souza (Norton, MA/Saint Sebastian's School) and junior Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) earning honors. It marked the fourth straight season that at least two of the program's athletes qualified, as Souza was lauded for the third consecutive fall and Kacher for the second time.

Lauren Kraus

Emily Davisson

The women's volleyball program extended its streak of having at least two academic all-league members to nine consecutive seasons, as senior Lauren Kraus (Westboro, MA/Westboro) and sophomore Emily Davisson (Carpinteria, CA/Laguna Blanca School) were honored. Davisson earned her first award, while Kraus qualified for the third straight season after also landing on the ESPN The Magazine Academic College Division All-District I first team this fall. In leading Wheaton to an 18-15 mark, Kraus was first on the team in hitting percentage and second in kills, aces and blocks, while Davisson paced the squad in digs while dropping in the fifth-most aces.

Pablo Mena

Kathleen Carroll

Julia Atwood

Women's soccer senior Kathleen Carroll (New Paltz, NY/New Paltz Central) was honored for the third straight year, netting one game-winning goal with two assists in helping the Lyons go 17-3-2 and qualify for their 10th straight NCAA Tournament. Carroll was also selected for the ESPN The Magazine Academic College Division All-District I first team. Field hockey junior Julia Atwood (Concord, MA/Brooks School) was honored for the second time, tying for second on the team with seven goals for the 6-12 Blue and White. Sophomore Pablo Mena (San Salvador, El Salvador/American School of El Salvador) of the men's soccer team drew his initial laurel, scoring twice while helping Wheaton finish 18-4-1 and advance to the NEWMAC Tournament final.

Fall sports sponsored by the NEWMAC include men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis and women's volleyball.

The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams took part in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship on Saturday in Boston's Franklin Park, as the men turned in a sixth-place finish and the women were eighth. Junior Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) was the first Lyon to finish, taking 22nd, while classmate Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston) came in 47th. Freshmen Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) and Karl Mader (Northfield, MN/Northfield) were 65th and 69th, respectively. Sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) paced the women in 30th, senior Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) took 47th, while sophomore Taylor Wills (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) and freshman Lindsay Petrenchik (Chagrin Falls, OH/Chagrin Falls) came in 58th and 59th, respectively.

The men tallied 169 points in the seven-team field, while the women's 205 points were four shy of Babson College for seventh among 10 competing schools. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) won both races in a meet hosted by Wellesley College.

Junior Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) was the first Lyon to cross the finish line, covering the 8,000-meter course in 27:42, good for 22nd overall. Classmate Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston) came in 47th.

Freshmen Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) and Karl Mader (Northfield, MN/Northfield) were within four placements of each other at 65th and 69th, respectively.

Sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) paced the women with a 30th-place finish, running the 5,000-meter course in 21:07. Senior Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) took 47th, while sophomore Taylor Wills (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) and freshman Lindsay Petrenchik (Chagrin Falls, OH/Chagrin Falls) came in 58th and 59th, respectively.

After three straight meets at Franklin Park, the Lyons take next weekend off before heading to Maine on Saturday, November 14, for the NCAA Division III New England Championship at the Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland. The women are slated for an 11:00 a.m. start, while the men will begin at 12:00 p.m.

The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams each posted top-four finishes on Friday at Emmanuel College's Saints Invitational, as the Lyon women were second among 19 teams while the men placed fourth in a 17-squad field. Sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) led Wheaton by finishing ninth, while senior Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) was 15th. Sophomore Savannah Geasey (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth) took 23rd, junior Christina Nelson (Cranston, RI/Saint Mary Academy-Bay View) finished 27th, and sophomore Taylor Wills (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) placed 29th. Junior Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) was the top finisher for the men, taking 15th, while classmate Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston) notched a 23rd-place time. Senior Miles Souza (Norton, MA/Saint Sebastian's School) was 48th, and freshman Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) came in 51st.

The Wheaton women and their 98 points were runner up to two-time defending New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) champion Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which had 15 points. The men tallied 148 points in a race won by 11-time defending NEWMAC champion MIT, which finished with 20.

Sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) crossed the finish line in ninth place, covering the 5K course in 20:19, while senior Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) was 15th in 20:41.

The next three Lyons came within six placements of one another, with sophomore Savannah Geasey (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth) taking 23rd, junior Christina Nelson (Cranston, RI/Saint Mary Academy-Bay View) finishing 27th and sophomore Taylor Wills (Kinderhook, NY/Ichabod Crane) placing 29th.

Junior Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) was the men's top finisher, as he posted a time of 27:14 on the 8K course to take 15th, while classmate Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston) notched a 23rd-place time of 27:39.

Senior Miles Souza (Norton, MA/Saint Sebastian's School) was 48th overall, and freshman Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) came in 51st.

The Wheaton teams next turn their attention to their conference championship meets, which take place on Saturday, October 31, at Franklin Park. The men begin their race at 11:00 a.m., while the women are slated to start at 12:00 p.m.

The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams were in action on Saturday at the All New England Championship, which drew teams from across Divisions I, II and III. The Lyon women took 44th out of 49 squads, while the men were 45th among 47. Senior Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) paced Wheaton for the fourth time in as many meets this fall, clocking in at 20:55, just one second shy of a runner from Division I University of Hartford. Sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) was six seconds back. Wheaton's men were led by junior Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston), whose time of 28:35 matched a counterpart from Division II Saint Anselm College. Freshman Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) was the second Lyon to finish.

The Lyon women took 44th out of 49 squads with 1,305 points, finishing one spot behind Division II Saint Michael's College and ahead of Division II Assumption College. On the men's side, Wheaton was 45th among 47 with 1,432 points, taking a higher placement than Division II Southern New Hampshire University. The University of Massachusetts at Lowell men won their competition with 93 points, while the Brown University women captured a victory with 130.

Senior Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) paced Wheaton for the fourth time in as many meets this fall, clocking in at 20:55, just one second shy of a runner from Division I University of Hartford and one second ahead of a Southern New Hampshire harrier. Sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) was six seconds back, and classmate Savannah Geasey (Portsmouth, RI/Portsmouth) was the third Lyon finisher.

Wheaton's men were led by junior Colin Fahey (Waltham, MA/Weston), whose time of 28:35 matched that of a counterpart from Division II Saint Anselm College. Freshmen Michael Richard (Chicopee, MA/Holyoke Catholic) and Karl Mader (Northfield, MN/Northfield) were the second and third Lyons, respectively, to cross the finish line.

The Blue and White's squads return to Franklin Park for each of their next two events, beginning on Friday for Emmanuel College's Saints Invitational.

The Wheaton College men's and women's cross country teams returned from a two-week layoff at the Keene State College Invitational on Saturday, when the women took eighth among 12 teams, and the men were 10th out of 11. Senior co-captain Katie Pratt (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) took 38th to pace the women, while freshman Lindsay Petrenchik (Chagrin Falls, OH/Chagrin Falls) and sophomore Rachel Scavera (North Bend, OR/North Bend) were 64th and 65th, respectively. On the men's side, junior co-captain Nick Kacher (Waltham, MA/Waltham) was the first Lyon to finish, taking 58th.