February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By John Manley
Arkansas won its 10th NCAA Men’s Cross Country title Monday in Bloomington, Ind., outpacing runner-up Wisconsin, 58-185. John McDonnell, a native of Crossmolina, Co. Mayo, coaches the Razorbacks.
The fastest individual was South Alabama’s David Kimani, who covered the 10,000-meter course in 30 minutes, 6.60 seconds. For team scoring purposes, however, runnerup Michael Power of Arkansas was the low man, since Kimani qualified as an individual. Arkansas runners also scored in the sixth, ninth, 20th and 22nd positions.
Providence’s Keith Kelly was the fleetest Irishman on the course. The senior from Drogheda finished ninth in 30:42.90. Iona’s Vinny Mulvey, a junior from Ashbourne, Co. Meath, placed 23rd in 31:04.20. Brown’s Enda Johnson, a sophomore from County Monaghan, was 77th to cross, running the course in 31:51.80. Dermot Galvin, a Providence sophomore from Kilrush, Co. Clare, was
98th in 32:04.20. Teammate Ciaran Lynch, a junior from Limerick, finished 110th in 32:08.90. Iona’s Barry Egan, a sophomore from Cahir, Co. Tipperary, came in at 144th, with a time of 32:38.20.
Mick Byrne’s Iona runners were ninth in the team standings with 338 points., Marcus O’Sullivan’s Villanova Wildcats were 17th (424 points), while Ray Treacy’s Providence Friars were 19th (458).
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The women’s race found Providence’s Roisín McGettigan, a Wicklow freshman, finishing 139th in 18:15.70. Teammate Kathryn Casserly, a Galway sophomore, was 163rd in 18:23.40. Providence finished 10th among teams. Brigham Young took championship honors.
Men’s Soccer
Gareth Elliott earned an assist on Rhode Island’s only goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to Brown in a first-round NCAA playoff match. Elliott is a sophomore from Belfast.
Penn State, coached by Belfast native Barry Gorman, moves a rung up the NCAA ladder with its 1-0 triumph over William & Mary. Next up for the Nittany Lions is St. John’s.
San Diego’s season ended with a 4-1 loss to UCLA in a first round NCAA contest. On the plus side for San Diego coach Seamus McFadden is the fact that he was voted West Coast Conference Coach of the Year for the sixth time. McFadden hails from Donegal.
Providence’s Kempes Corbally was named to the All-Big East second team. The sophomore defender calls Dublin home.
Fairfield’s Bryan Harkin was chosen for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference All-Rookie team. Harkin is a freshman from Derry.
Christian Brothers’ Barry Gibney earned a return trip to the All-Gulf South Conference first team. The Dublin sophomore, who lines up in midfield, earned similar accolades as a freshman.
Norwich’s Gavin Woods took down first team honors on the All Great Northeast Athletic Conference squad.
Rio Grande’s Marty Rodgers, a sophomore midfielder from Ballymena, Co. Antrim, was named to the American Mideast Conference first team.
Women’s Soccer
Slippery Rock’s Sonya Maher, a senior from County Clare, earned first-team honors on the All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference team. Maher had 12 goals and 10 assists.
Mary Reid was a first team selection to the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference lineup. The Belfast senior led St. Joseph’s of Indiana in goals scored with 14, and helped set up five goals. Reid finished her career as the Lady Pumas all-time leading goal scorer with 65, as well as tops in assists, with 38, for a school high 168 points. St. Joe’s finished the year 15-5-1.
Basketball
Niall Phelan sank two of six from the field for four points as Robert Morris began the season with a 58-53 victory over East Carolina. The senior from Dublin also had a rebound and an assist in 14 minutes of floor time.