The women’s cross country team won the American East Championship for the fourth year in a row, running at the conference championship race in Boston on Saturday.  Seniors Lucy Van Dalen (Wanganui, New Zealand) and Holly Van Dalen (Wanganui, New Zealand) finished in first and second place respectively.

Lucy finished the 5,000 meter race in 16:48.33, her third straight first place win this season. Holly followed in 16:49.35.

“The girls were great today,” head coach Andy Ronan said in a press release. “To handle the pressure of going for four in a row with such a strong performance makes them special.”

Junior Hayley Green (Wellington, New Zealand) finished fourth in 17:21.03. Sophomore Annie Keown (Auckland, New Zealand) finished fifth in 17:23.53. Freshman Olivia Burne (Palmerston North, New Zealand) finished 12th in 18:00.40.

Along with the Van Dalens, seniors Carolina Cortes (Woodmere, N.Y.) and Leanne Skrabacz (West Seneca, N.Y.) have an American East title in each of their four years at Stony Brook.

Senior Tim Hodge (Tawa, New Zealand) led the men, finishing the 8,000 meter race in ninth place. Junior Gerard Harley (Setauket, N.Y.) placed 27th, and freshman Daniel Denis (Bayport, N.Y.) and junior Drew Dillingham (Riverhead, N.Y.) placed in the top 50.

Cross Country races again at the NCAA Regional Championships in Madison, Connecticut November 13.