University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Cross Country Runs Away With Atlantic 10 Weekly Awards
September 25, 2006 | Women's Cross Country
Sept. 25, 2006
AMHERST, Mass. - After a strong showing on Saturday morning against Boston College and Maine, three members of the UMass cross country program have been honored by the Atlantic 10. Junior Christina Derosa (Sound Beach, N.Y.) has been named the women's Performer of the Week, while freshmen Lauren Liuzzo (Acton, Mass.) and Nicolai Naranjo (Essex Fells, N.J.) have both been named the Rookies of the Week. UMass will be back in action this weekend as both teams head to New York for the Meet Of Champions.
DeRosa took second overall (18:33) in the three-team meet on the 5K home course. She was the first UMass runner to cross the line for the 16th consecutive race. This was DeRosa's first league Performer of the Week award. She was twice named rookie of the week in 2004.
Liuzzo finished the race 10th overall (19:27) and was UMass' second runner to cross the line. This was her first top-10 finish of the season.
Naranjo took fifth overall (25:42) for his second top-10 finish of the season. He was the third UMass runner to the finish line and narrowly edged out Maine's Miles Bartlett which was key as both the Minutemen and the Black Bears placed three runners each in the top six spots.
The men's team won the team title, while the women placed third overall. Both teams will return to action on Saturday at the Meet Of Champions in New York.