Posted: May 18, 2015

Brennan, Martin join Hughes, Roosa as men's cross country captains

Salve Regina men's cross country captains for 2015 (l-r): Jay Brennan, Sean Hughes, Billy Martin, Slater Roosa. (Photos by Jen McGuinness)

NEWPORT, R.I. – Juniors Billy Martin (West Islip, N.Y.) and Jay Brennan (North Haven, Conn.) will join seniors Sean Hughes (Old Saybrook, Conn.) and Slater Roosa (Woodbury, Conn.) as captains of the men's cross country team for the fall 2015 season.

Hughes and Roosa have served as captains since their sophomore season. James Weselcouch '13 is the only other three-year captain in the 17-year history of the men's cross country program. Martin and Brennan are in their first year as captains.

"Sean, Slater, Billy and Jay are absolutely invested in this program. They're committed. They work hard. That's why they have earned a leadership position," said second-year head coach Rob McGuinness. "The captains and I share the same vision of where we'd like our team to be, and I know I can count on them to lead by example."

Hughes holds the school records for 5K, 8K and five miles and is a two-time All-Commonwealth Coast Conference runner. Injuries slowed his race efforts at the end of the 2014 campaign, but he still ran in the No. 2 spot at the CCC Championship and the NCAA New England Regional Championship. Hughes and Martin shared the team's runner of the year award.

Martin moved in to the No. 1 spot late in 2014 and was the top Seahawk in all of the postseason meets. His top performances from 2014 – 27:01, 27:31 – stand at No. 7 and No. 18 on Salve Regina's all-time performance list. Martin also played a key role in the lineup that set a new five-man combined team time record at the UMass-Dartmouth Invitational in September.

Brennan has been a regular member of the Seahawks' varsity seven in his two years on the team. He ran at the No.6 or No. 7 spot at New England College, UMass-Dartmouth and CCRI last fall and made a postseason appearance at the ECAC Division III Championship at Westfield State University.

Roosa also has been a regular contributor during his three years on the team. After a lukewarm start to the 2014 season, he regained his scoring form at Western New England and at the CCC Championship. Roosa has represented Salve Regina in the last three NCAA New England Regional Championships.

The Seahawks open their 2015 season at the Roger Williams Invitational at Colt State Park in Bristol, R.I., on Saturday, September 5.