Courtney Garrity leads the Ravens with a 40^th place finish

MANCHESTER, N.H. (September 15, 2007) - The Franklin Pierce University women's cross country team began its 2007 season with a sixth-place finish at the 26^th annual Shacklette Invitational, hosted by Saint Anselm College, on a rain-soaked Saturday morning. Junior captain Courtney Garrity (Manchester, N.H./Manchester Central) led the Ravens with a time of 24:30, good for 40^th place overall.

Despite soggy conditions and a steady rain throughout the race, the Ravens performed well in the first meet of the year.  Six of the nine Franklin Pierce runners were participating in their first collegiate cross country race, and three Ravens were taking part in their first career cross country race.

Freshman Sonja Foster (Newport, Vt./United Christian Academy) finished just behind Garrity (44^th overall) in her first career cross country race with a time of 25:10. Sophomore Alexandra Edwards (Smithfield, R.I./Smithfield) finished in 51^st place (26:32), followed very closely by junior Francesca Santoro (Medford, Mass./Medford) in 53^rd place (27:16) and sophomore Catalina Reed (Pembroke, Mass./Sacred Heart) in 54^th place (27:32).

Rounding out the Franklin Pierce squad was sophomore Kristen Sheridan (Auburn, N.H./Manchester Memorial) in 59^th place (30:43), junior Charlotte Faber (New York, N.Y./Churchill School) in 61^st place (30:53), sophomore Jessica Hathaway (Cooperstown, N.Y/Edmeston Central) in 66^th place (42:45) and senior Jamie Cole (New Milford, Conn./New Milford) in 67^th place (46:01).

Merrimack College won the meet with a total of 20 points, while Bryant's Nicole Radzik took the individual title with a time of 19:18.1.

Franklin Pierce will return to action on Friday when the Ravens take part in the Rivier Invitational beginning at 4 p.m.