Blake Named NEC Coach of the Year, Five Blue Devils Earn All-Conference Nod
Head Coach Eric Blake was named the NEC Coach of the Year.
The Northeast Conference announced its All-Conference selections Wednesday morning awarding five Blue Devils from the women's cross country team with All-NEC nods and naming head coach Eric Blake the 2019 Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.
Rafter was crowned the Most Outstanding Performer for the second straight year after leading the Blue Devils to its second consecutive title with a personal best time of 17:28.5 in the championship 5K race. Following Rafter, Brawner clocked in third with a time of 17:56.6, posting her own collegiate best.
Dana and Stevens crossed the finish line less than three seconds apart. They both recorded their fastest 5K times with Dana at 18:19.9 for ninth place and Stevens 18:22.8 in 10th place.
Morabito was crowned the 2019 Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team being the first rookie finisher in 15th place with a time of 18:43.4, her best 5K run of the season.
For the second straight year Blake has been named the Coach of the Year for the women, he has received the Coach of the Year honor for the men seven times. Blake led the men to nine consecutive NEC Titles (2009-2017) breaking the all-time Northeast Conference record for most consecutive titles won by any sport, erasing the previous record of eight set by Quinnipiac's women's cross country team from 2005 to 2012.
This year, he coached the women's team to its second straight title. Before the 2018 championship, the women's team hadn't won a title since 1999. At the championship meet, Central had a team score of 38 points, a 33 point difference between runner-up Sacred Heart (71).
NEC All-Conference Team
Angie Rafter, CCSU
Erin Jaskot, MSM
Megan Brawner, CCSU
Madeline Kole, MSM
Kate Fisher, MC
Jacqueline Thorne, SHU
Laura Roth, SFU
Sara Carney, WAG
Ashley Dana, CCSU
Kaitlyn Stevens, CCSU
Madison Wright, SFU
Olivia Weiss, SHU
Julia Ayres, BRY
Bianca De Lucia, SHU
NEC All-Rookie Team
Brooke Morabito, CCSU
Theresa Long, MSM
Abigail Hamilton, BRY
Kathleen Delaney, SHU
Ella Affanato, MC
Mackenzie Walker, SFU
Hannah Brisson, MC
