Cross Country travels to Notre Dame for Joe Piane Invitational 

Published by Providence SID on September 29th, 2016

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Providence College men’s and women’s Cross Country teams return to action at the Joe Piane Invitational in South Bend, Ind. on Sept. 30. This will be the first time since 2009 that Providence has competed at the Joe Piane Invitational. In the latest USTFCCCA poll, the women were ranked No. 1 in the nation and the men received votes towards being ranked in the top 30. The women’s race will start at 2:00 p.m. ET and the men’s race will start at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Both the men’s and women’s race feature strong fields as many of the teams racing were ranked in the latest USTFCCCA poll. The women’s race will feature the Providence women racing top ranked teams including, last year’s NCAA champions, No. 2 New Mexico and No. 5 NC State. Also in the women’s field will be No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 24 Vanderbilt.

The women will be looking to graduate student Sarah Mary Collins (Basel, Switzerland) to lead the Friars at Joe Piane. Collins was the Friars’ top runner at the Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown Invitational, finishing third overall. JuniorBrianna Ilarda (Perth, Australia), junior Amelia Paladino (Morgantown, W. Va.), freshman Abbey Wheeler (Pine City, N.Y.) and junior Katie Lembo (Penfield, N.Y.) all look to continue their success as well. At the Beantown Invitational, Ilarda, Paladino, Wheeler and Lembo ran together for most of the race until splitting apart in the final straightaway. The four finished with two seconds separating each other. Graduate student Lauren Mullins (Binghamton, N.Y.) will make her season debut at the Joe Piane Invitational. Also competing for the Friars will be Mackenzie Barry (Mendham, N.J.) and Keelin Hollowood (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.).