Mimic Takes Paul Short Title as Reid-less Cats are Runners Up

The #5 ranked Villanova women may have put a bit of a scare in the rest of the top national teams today at the Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, PA. Running without the defending NCAA champion Sheila Reid, Gina Procaccio's squad finished a mere 3 points behind national #3 Providence, and in the process Villanova's #2 Bogdana Mimic defeated Providence's #1, transfer Emily Sisson (as well as national contender Neely Spence). Also making a statement was sophomore Emily Lipari who came home 11th overall.

Of course, the issue confronting the Villanova women this year as they attempt to win their third consecutive national championship is how well their #4 and #5 finishers can replace the two 2010 All Americans (Amanda Marino and Ali Smith) lost to graduation earlier this year. Today provided a bit more evidence that Villanova's back end may be stronger than some have predicted. Following a 2nd place finish last week at the Main Line Invitational at Haverford, Nicky Akande again showed that she is intent on taking on a top 5 role this season. Akande trailed Emily Lipari by a mere two seconds and came home 15 seconds ahead of expected #4 Callie Hogan. Two freshman, Courtney Chapman and Stephanie Schappert, made additional statements that they belong in the top 7. For now, Villanova's "A" team looks to be Sheila Reid, Bogdana Mimic, Emily Lipari, Callie Hogan, Nicky Akande, Courtney Chapman and Stephanie Schappert. Prize recruit Megan Venables, one of the top high school harriers in the country last year, finished 122nd in 22:25. While last year the team depended on freshman Emily Lipari at #5 to rise to the challenge, the 2011 edition of the Villanova women's team seems to have cast sophomore Nicky Akande in the make-or-break spot.

2. Villanova University
    1  Bogdana Mimic, Sr*         20:10  
   11  Emily Lipari, So*          20:56  
   14  Nicky Akande, So*          20:58  
   31  Callie Hogan, Sr*          21:13  
   47  Courtney Chapman, Fr*      21:25  
   54  Stephanie Schappert, Fr*   21:34  
   77  Summer Cook*               21:55
  122  Megan Venables, Fr*        22:25
  173  Meghan Smith               22:48
  286  Shannon Browne             23:48 

The team race was won by the Providence Friars, who entered the meet ranked 3rd nationally. National #1 Georgetown played possum, holding out Emily Infeld and running a mixed squad. The Hoyas finished 4th overall. Duke, entering with the #9 national ranking, finished 11th, while #12 Syracuse was 3rd.



Here are the top 12 teams:

1.  Providence College      101    3    6    9   12   71   97  110    20:55    1:30
2.  Villanova University    104    1   11   14   31   47   54   77    20:56    1:15
3.  Syracuse                125    5    7   24   44   45   56   65    21:01    0:53
4.  Georgetown University   141    8   18   19   21   75   88   93    21:10    1:05
5.  University of Virgini   152   10   17   36   40   49   67   70    21:11    0:32
6.  Yale University         205   22   23   46   53   61  123  147    21:21    0:36
7.  Cornell University      209   13   28   38   58   72   78  100    21:23    0:54
8.  Dartmouth College       301    4   50   59   92   96  120  131    21:33    1:49
9.  Boston College Women    314   37   43   57   86   91  113  142    21:41    0:50
10. University of Guelph    341   34   62   79   81   85   87  101    21:47    0:48
11. Duke University         343   20   27   60  112  124  140  177    21:45    1:30
12. Brown University        393   33   39   69   82  170  183  200    21:51    1:40

Here are the top 20 finishers:

1.  Bogdana Mimic, Sr*              5:29    20:10    Villanova University 
2.  Neely Spence, Sr*               5:28    20:19    Shippensburg University 
3.  Emily Sisson, So*               5:28    20:20    Providence College   
4.  Abbey Dagostino, So*            5:29    20:22    Dartmouth College    
5.  Lauren Penney, Sr*              5:29    20:32    Syracuse             
6.  Laura Nagel, So*                5:29    20:36    Providence College   
7.  Sarah Pagano, Jr*               5:29    20:38    Syracuse             
8.  Emily Jones, Jr*                5:29    20:48    Georgetown University 
9.  Hannah Davidson, Sr*            5:29    20:51    Providence College   
10. Morgane Gay, Jr*                5:33    20:55    University of Virginia 
11. Emily Lipari, So*               5:29    20:56    Villanova University 
12. Shelby Greany, Jr*              5:28    20:57    Providence College   
13. Katie Kellner, Jr*              5:28    20:57    Cornell University   
14. Nicky Akande, So*               5:29    20:58    Villanova University 
15. Ashley Schnell, Sr*             5:29    20:58    UNC-Greensboro
16. Elaina Balouris, So*            5:31    20:59    William and Mary 
17. Barbara Strehler, Jr*           5:37    21:01    University of Virginia 
18. Claire Richardson, 5*           5:30    21:01    Georgetown University 
19. Annamarie Maag, Fr*             5:30    21:02    Georgetown University 
20. Suejin Ahn, Sr*                 5:30    21:03    Duke University 

2010 graduate Amanda Marino, a volunteer assistant coach this year, ran in the Open Race at Paul Short and won the race in 20:47. Amanda Borroughs and Anna Francis also competed in the open race. Borroughs was 68th in 23:52, while Francis was 117th in 24:43.

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