The Lions managed to stand out in the stampede that was NCAA Northeast Regionals this past weekend, thanks to a strong overall performance. The women’s team finished fifth overall, while the men’s team came in third, narrowly missing a bid to the NCAA National Championship.
Senior Megan Lessard led the Light Blue, finishing 10th overall. Senior Alaina Miller followed in 24th place, and sophomore Jackie Drouin, junior Irena Ossola, and senior Kari Higdem came through in 28th, 35th, and 43rd. This team effort gave the Lions a score of 140 points, putting them behind regional champion Providence, Syracuse, Boston College, and Stony Brook. Lessard and Miller received all-Region honors from the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA).
The men’s team came close to advancing to NCAA National Championships, but fell 15 points short of the trip to Terre Haute. Senior Jeff Randall let the Light Blue effort, coming in in 17th place.
The rest of the Lions followed through in a remarkably tight pack given the immense pool of competition. Sophomore Brendan Martin came in 19th place, followed by senior Ross Turner in 21st, sophomore Tom Poland in 22nd, and junior Bobby Hartnett in 24th. Despite a stellar effort, the Lions were outdone by Iona and Providence. The USTFCCCA had ranked Iona and Providence first and second in the most recent Northeast poll, and it was no surprise that the Gaels swept the meet with 46 points. However, Randall, Martin, Turner, Poland, and Hartnett all received USTFCCCA all-Region honors for finishing within the top 25.
Columbia’s next meet will be the Eastern College Athletic Conference championship held at Van Cortlandt Park on Nov. 22.
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