YORK, Pa. - Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, will go down as a historic day for Christopher Newport University - a first-year member of the Capital Athletic Conference.
The Captains’ women’s cross country team won the University’s first CAC team championship in any sport, placed five runners on the 16-member all-conference team and saw freshman Briana Stewart (Oak Hill, Va./Oakton) and mentor Matthew Barreau pick up the CAC’s Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year awards.
The Captains scored 31 team points to win the title ahead of charter CAC member York (41 points). The Spartans were led by the 1-2 combination of juniors Caroline Delany (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora), who was named the 2013 CAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year, along with Jessica Miller (Dauphin, Pa./Bishop McDevitt).
Stewart placed fourth overall and was one of four CNU runners on the All-CAC first team. Senior Jessica McClelland (Stafford, Va./North Stafford), sophomore Lydia Cromwell (Round Hill, Va./Woodgrove) and freshman Emmie Schmitt (Sportsylvania, Va./Spotsylvania) were also first-team All-CAC honorees. The Captains’ fifth scorer in the championship meet, Alexa Tabackman (McLean, Va./McLean), earned second-team all-conference recognition.
In his third year at CNU, Barreau has led the Captains to conference championships each season, including the last two in the USA South Athletic Conference before joining the CAC this year. This is his first CAC Coach of the Year award, and the third of his career.
Delany is the second York runner to capture the CAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year award in the 24-year history, joining 2010 CAC champion Mandy Parshall in that elite club.
Delany and Miller, both two-time first-team All-CAC cross country runners, were joined on the 2013 all-conference team by sophomore Jenna Roberts (Stewartstown, Pa./Kennard-Dale) and freshmen Kathleen Cannon (Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill) and Alecia Dillman (Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley) as second-team honorees. York tied Christopher Newport for the most athletes on the 2013 All-CAC team, each with five.
Third-place Mary Washington was led by sophomore Tara Landy (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock), who earned first-team All-CAC for the second-straight season. Sophomore Lauren Braney (Stafford, Va./Mountain View), the 2012 CAC Rookie of the Year, and freshman Victoria Parent (Spotsylvania, Va./Spotsylvania) were second-team All-CAC runners.
Marymount, registering its highest finish in the CAC championship in team history, collected a pair of All-CAC awards. Freshman Melissa Teeple (Callaway, Va./Franklin County) earned first-team all-conference honors while classmate Elizabeth Long (Sterling, Va./Home schooled) was on the second team. They are the first All-CAC runners in team history.
History was also made by Wesley freshman Dieunise Desir (New Castle, Del./William Penn), who became the first Wolverine to earn All-CAC women’s cross country recognition as a second-team honoree.
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2013 All-CAC Women’s Cross Country Team
First Team Yr. Team Hometown/High School Previous All-CAC Honors
Lydia Cromwell So. Christopher Newport Round Hill, Va./Woodgrove
Caroline Delany Jr. York Frederick, Md./Tuscarora 1st in ‘12
Tara Landy So. Mary Washington Burke, Va./Lake Braddock 1st & AOY in ‘12
Jessica McClelland Sr. Christopher Newport Stafford, Va./North Stafford
Jessica Miller Jr. York Dauphin, Pa./Bishop McDevitt 1st in ‘12
Emmie Schmitt Fr. Christopher Newport Spotsylvania, Va./Spotsylvania
Briana Stewart Fr. Christopher Newport Oak Hill, Va./Oakton
Melissa Teeple Fr. Marymount Callaway, Va./Franklin County
Second Team Yr. Team Hometown/High School Previous All-CAC Honors
Lauren Braney So. Mary Washington Stafford, Va./Mountain View 1st and ROY in ‘12
Kathleen Cannon Fr. York Chapel Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill
Dieunise Desir Fr. Wesley New Castle, Del./William Penn
Alecia Dillman Fr. York Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley
Elizabeth Long Fr. Marymount Sterling, Va./Home schooled
Victoria Parent Fr. Mary Washington Spotsylvania, Va./Courtland
Jenna Roberts So. York Stewartstown, Pa./Kennard-DaleAlexa Tabackman So. Christopher Newport McLean, Va./McLean
2013 CAC Athlete of the Year: Caroline Delany, York
2013 CAC Rookie of the Year: Briana Stewart, Christopher Newport
2013 CAC Coach of the Year: Matthew Barreau, Christopher Newport