Holmdel, N.J. (October 29, 2011)--The Mount St. Mary's men's cross country team finished in third place at the Northeast Conference Championships on a cold and snowy day at Holmdel Park.  Senior Dylan Bernard finished fourth overall to earn All-NEC honors to pace the men.  The Mount women's team finished eighth.

Bernard finished the 8-kilometer course in a time of 26:40.10 to finish fourth overall.  He becomes the third Mountaineer to earn All-Northeast Conference honors all four years, joining Tim Kitching (1997-2000) and former teammate Matt Logie (2005-08).

Junior Chris Swisko, senior Gigi Gibilisco, and freshmen Kevin Pitts and Tommy Gruschow rounded out the Mount's top five.  Swisko was 25th overall with a time of 27:50.00 with Gibilisco 28th at a time of 27:40.30.  Pitts was 30th with a mark of 28:03.50 while Gruschow was 45th with a mark of 28:25.50.

Central Connecticut State took home first place (54 points), followed by Saint Francis (Pa.) (67), the Mount (131), Monmouth (133), Robert Morris (163), Quinnipiac (171), Wagner (173), Sacred Heart (178), St. Francis (N.Y.) (185), Bryant (195), Long Island (305) and Fairleigh Dickinson (326).

Senior Megan Kinsella was the Mount's top finisher on the women's side, finishing 30th overall with a time 20:06.20 for the 5-kilometer course.  Freshman McKenzie Doyle was the Mount's second-fastest, placing 43rd overall at 20:28.0.  The remainder of the Mount's top five included Desi Scott (49th, 20:25), Kathryn Franke (57th, 21:09.70) and Colleen Smith (66th, 21:34.60).

Quinnipiac won the meet with 44 points, followed by Sacred Heart (75), Monmouth (91), Central Connecticut State (99), Saint Francis (Pa.) (107), Robert Morris (147), Bryant (192), Mount St. Mary's (221), Wagner (229), St. Francis (N.Y.) (283), Fairleigh Dickinson (332) and Long Island (383).