Posted: Aug 14, 2017

Top Five Flashback: Men's Cross Country #1

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.

The lineup of Billy Martin (West Islip, N.Y.), Scott Brewer (Wilbraham, Mass.), Andrew Sardelli (Hope Valley, R.I.), Dave Napierkowski (Cheshire, Conn.) and Brett Jutras (East Bridgewater, Mass.) made a mark on the cross country program's all-time list in a meet at UMass Dartmouth on Sept. 17.

The Seahawk scorers combined for a time of 2:21:49.8, which ranks third on the team's all-time list for aggregate time at 8K. The program record, 2:17:57.69, was set at UMass Dartmouth in 2014.

Martin raced the second-fastest 8K of his career – 27:16.89 – to lead the charge. He split 5:16 in the opening mile and settled in around 5:30 pace as he worked his way through the field. He would up inside the top 100 (76) in the field of 242.

Brewer, Sardelli and Napierkowski spent much of the race in a pack, working together to advance through the field. Brewer broke from the pack in the later miles to claim the No. 2 spot for Salve Regina, posting a personal best for 8K at 28:02.29. Sardelli (28:39.74), Napierkowski (28:54.62) and Jutras (28:56.29) all ran their fastest 8K races of the season.

"The course at UMass Dartmouth suits us very well, and many of our athletes' personal bests, as well as many of our program records, have been set there," said head coach Rob McGuinness. "This was a solid performance for our scoring five, and I know they are proud to have their names on the all-time list."

Salve Regina University
Salve Regina athletics sponsors 20 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.