PROVIDENCE, R.I. -Â
Alexa Van Voorhis of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's cross country team is now the first in program history to be named the Little East Conference (LEC) Runner of the Year.
From Raynham, Mass., Van Voorhis proved to be the top LEC racer all season. The graduate student started the season with a bang, winning the Jim Sheehan Invitational at Fitchburg State with a time of 20:54.7, she then gained some extra motivation, finishing second among LEC runners to Keene State's Grace Furlong at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational (19:16.98).
Van Voorhis flipped the script in the very next race at the Keene State Invitational by holding off KSC's Maggie St. John by two seconds for the top LEC result (19:03.64). She then beat St. John again at the Suffolk Invite by three minutes for first in the conference (24:21). Then, in the Conference Championships where it counted the most, Van Voorhis blew by St. John and Furlong in the final stretch to take home the individual championship (19:44.5).
"We're incredibly proud of what Alexa has accomplished so far this season," said Head Coach
Mike Salem. "She has spent her whole career working to improve, and it's very rewarding to see her earn this recognition."
Van Voorhis and the Corsairs race next at the NCAA Division III Regional Championships at Bowdoin College at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12.
