Nov. 10, 2007

BOSTON, MASS. - Junior Girma Segni (Bronx, NY) shattered the school record at Franklin Park's 10,000-meter cross country course Saturday, leading the Marist College men's cross country team to a 17th-place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regional Qualifier.

Segni placed 28th in 30:45.80, bettering Greg Salamone's 1999 mark of 31:17 and becoming the first Marist cross country runner under the 31:00 mark for the distance in school history. Segni's overall finish was the second best in school history, trailing only Mike Melfi's 25th-place finish at the 1998 regionals at Van Cortlandt Park. The team scored 458 points and equalled the 2006 team placement out of 41 teams in the region.

Junior David Raucci (Clermont, NY) was 87th in 31:57.90. Sophomore Conor Shelley (Rockville Centre, NY) followed closely in 93rd place, posting a personal-best time of 32:01.45. Senior captain Mike Rolek (Maplewood, NJ) was 119th in 32:24.40 and freshman Adam Vess (Cromwell, CT) rounded out the scoring pack in 141st in 32:44.95.

The men's cross country team concludes its season Saturday at the ICAAAA Championships at Van Cortlandt Park.

Team finish: Marist 17th of 41, 458 points

Marist finishers:
28. Girma Segni 30:45.80
87. David Raucci 31:57.90
93. Conor Shelley 32:01.45
119. Mike Rolek 32:24.40
141. Adam Vess 32:44.95
148. John Keenan 32:59.15
177. Tim Keegan 33:39.60