Somerset, NJ -  Marking the start of the fall championship season, Quinnipiac University hosts the 2009 Northeast Conference (NEC) Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Oct. 31. Both races will take place on QU's course that winds through the scenic campus in Hamden, CT with the men trekking five miles (8K) beginning at 11:00 am and the women navigating a 5K loop starting at 12:00 pm.

The Wagner women hope to rally behind newcomer Taylor Fredrickson (Staten Island, NY/Tottenville), who has been the Seahawks' pace-setter in each of their five events in 2009, along with classmate Kelly Dennis (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa). Dennis was WC's number-two finisher in a majority of competitions.

On the men's side, for the second consecutive year Zachary Spector (Yaphank, NY/Longwood) has paced Wagner in each of its races, picking up Athlete of the Week merit on two occasions this season. The Seahawks' top returner from 2008, Spector runs alongside junior Thomas Rammelkamp (Miller Place, NY/Miller Place) and sophomore Thomas Iannacone (Havertown, PA/St. Joe's Prep), who capped off last season as WC's second and third-best harriers.

Race releases, along with team and individual results, will be posted on the Northeast Conference website at www.northeastconference.org, following the conclusion of the event. Included below are historical NEC Cross Country facts and figures.