Posted: Jun 27, 2017

Top Five Flashback: Men's Cross Country #4

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University athletics resumes its summer series with a daily flashback to the top five moments of 2016-17 for each of its 19 varsity sports. Beginning with Memorial Day (Monday, May 29, 2017) and finishing with the final day of August, 95 moments (19 x 5) will be shared to relive the most exciting happenings of the most recent Seahawk season.

A glance at the year-over-year race results for junior Neil Sheehan (Methuen, Mass.) reveals a startling improvement. On courses for which there is a fair comparison, no Seahawk made greater strides from 2015 to 2016.

In the team's season-opening meet at Colt State Park in Bristol, R.I., Sheehan was nearly 90 seconds faster on the 5K layout. In North Dartmouth, Mass., he was more than 3 minutes faster at 8K. And at Harkness State Park in Waterford, Conn., his time dropped by almost 30 seconds on the 8K course.

"Neil is someone who makes the most of his racing opportunities, and he continues to push for improvement, week after week, season after season," said head coach Rob McGuinness. "It is encouraging to see Neil's hard work translate into results."

The junior parlayed his faster times into a postseason roster spot, making an appearance at the ECAC Division III Cross Country Championship in Milton, N.Y. Sheehan was recognized as the team's most-improved runner at a season-ending awards banquet in November.

Salve Regina University
Salve Regina athletics sponsors 19 NCAA Division III varsity sports for men and women. The Seahawks compete in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC - baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's ice hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, women's track and field, women's volleyball), New England Hockey Conference (NEHC - women's ice hockey), New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association (NEISA - sailing). Beginning in 2017-18, Salve Regina will also sponsor equestrian as a varsity sport, and adds junior varsity programs for baseball and men's lacrosse.