Kerry Tobin Wins Skyline XC Crown

BRONX, N.Y. - Bard College placed four runners in the top five in cruising to its first Skyline Conference women's cross country championship on Sunday at Van Cortlandt Park.  St. Joseph's College sophomore Kerry Tobin won the individual championship, covering the 5,000-meter course in 21:03.

The team title was never in doubt.  After Tobin crossed the line, Bard followed with the next four finishers.  Sophomore Audrey Vera (21:22.1), junior Emily Gildea (21:22.3), freshman Katherine Dooley (21:24) and junior Erica Ball (21:32) finished within 10 seconds of each other, finishing second, third, fourth and fifth respectively.  Junior Kylie Collins (21:55) closed out the scoring for Bard, finishing 11th.

As a team, the Raptors recorded 25 points, finishing comfortably ahead of three-time Skyline champion St. Joseph's (47 points).  Mount Saint Mary (100), which placed third, recorded its highest finish in three years of varsity competition.  Purchase (114) edged Maritime (117) for fourth.

The top seven runners earned All-Skyline Conference first-team honors.  Rounding out the top seven were Colleen Walker (21:35) of Purchase and Melissa Bonilla of Farmingdale State (21:38).  The second seven runners (places 8 through 14) earned second team All-Skyline honors.  Second-team honorees included Laura Wasson of Maritime (8th, 21:46), Stephanie Aiello (9th, 21:51) and Michelle Petrina (10th, 21:54) of St. Joseph's, Collins of Bard, Jacklyn Blakley (12th, 21:56), of Mount Saint Mary, and Elyse Patrella (13th, 22:02) and Maureen Quinn of St. Joseph's (14th, 22:11).

Dooley, who finished fourth, earned Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year honors as the highest finisher among first-year runners.

The field of 76 finishers was the most in the history of the Skyline Conference women's cross country championship, eclipsing the 2008 mark of 73.