Posted: Oct 27, 2012

Hughes leads Seahawks to strong finish at CCC Championships

Sean Hughes, third from left, led the Seahawks with a fifth-place finish at the CCC Championships and earned all-conference.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Freshman Sean Hughes (Old Saybrook, Conn.) finished fifth overall to lead Salve Regina to a fourth-place finish in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship at Western New England University.

Hughes battled with a lead pack that included four runners from Roger Williams University and two from the University of New England, crossing the finish line in 27:10. Hughes earned all-conference honors for his performance.

Roger Williams University captured the conference championship with a team score of 22. The University of New England was second with 48 points; Gordon was third with 83. Salve Regina finished fourth with 116, ahead of Western New England (118) and Eastern Nazarene (187).

The fourth-place finish was Salve Regina's highest team placement since the men's cross country program was reconstituted in 2005. Just one year after not having enough runners to score in the 2011 CCC Championship, the Seahawks put a full scoring contingent on the starting line in 2012.

Freshman Timothy Roosa (Woodbury, Conn.) was the second man for Salve, finishing in 29:10. Freshman Ben Campbell (Carolina, R.I.) ran 31:26, sophomore Jack Simpson (Lynn, Mass.) ran 32:31 and freshman Daniel LaBrie (East Providence, R.I.) ran 32:53 to contribute to the scoring five.

Freshmen Matt Sinkewicz (Colchester, Conn.) and Josh Critchley (Torrington, Conn.) were the Seahawks' sixth and seventh runners, completing the 8,000 meter course in 33:26 and 33:35. Freshman Dean Wollenberg (Hopkinton, R.I.) finished in 38:59.

Salve Regina returns to action on November 3 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Cross Country Championships at Mount Greylock High School in Williamstown, Mass.