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SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS
Posted: May 18, 2015

Ofria, Palmquist, Varone appointed captains of women's cross country team

Salve Regina women's cross country captains for 2015 (l-r): Jackie Ofria, Aubrey Palmquist, Victoria Varone. (Photos by Jen McGuinness)
Salve Regina women's cross country captains for 2015 (l-r): Jackie Ofria, Aubrey Palmquist, Victoria Varone. (Photos by Jen McGuinness)

NEWPORT, R.I. – Seniors Aubrey Palmquist (Bristol, Conn.) and Jackie Ofria (Manchester, Conn.) and junior Victoria Varone (Providence, R.I.) will serve as captains of the Salve Regina women's cross country team for the 2015 season.

Palmquist begins her third season as captain, joining Caroline Norton '12 as the only other three-time captain in the 34-year history of the cross country program. Ofria serves a second season as captain, while Varone enters her first season in the leadership role.

"The captains play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of our program, and I am thrilled to have Aubrey, Jackie and Victoria as my leadership team," said second-year head coach Rob McGuinness. "These three are excellent students, accomplished runners and established leaders. They hold themselves – and their teammates – to a higher standard. There is no doubt that they are the right women for the job."

Palmquist was the Seahawks' No. 1 runner in six of eight meets last fall, contributing to invitational victories at New England College and CCRI. She helped the team set a new record for 5K combined team time at UMass Dartmouth and led the team to its best placement (18th) in the NCAA New England Regional Championship. Palmquist earned a spot on the All-Commonwealth Coast Conference Cross Country Team and was named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team as an individual.

Ofria was often among the Seahawks' varsity seven in 2014, running at No. 6 at New England College, UMass-Dartmouth, Gordon and Western New England, and scoring at No. 3 in the win at CCRI. She made a postseason appearance in the ECAC Division III Championship, running at No. 3 and posting a personal-best time of 24:44.7 on the 6K course at Westfield State University.

Varone has been a consistent varsity contributor throughout her two years on the team, never finishing below the No. 5 spot in 14 races for Salve Regina. The 2013 CCC Rookie of the Year played a key role in the team's invitational victories in 2014 and has made her mark on the program's all-time performance list at 5K and 6K.

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