NEW HAVEN, CT (October 21, 2009) - The Felician College men and Philadelphia University women will look to repeat as champions at the upcoming Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Cross Country Championships at Belmont Plateau in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 24. The women's 5-kilometer race will begin at 11:00 am, followed by the 8-kilometer men's race at approximately 11:45 am.

Felician won its fifth straight CACC Championship last season after being led by race champion, James Vander Wiele, who is a sophomore on this year's squad. Felician placed five runners among the top 15 finishers to win the race with 34 points. The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia placed second with 55 points, followed by Philadelphia University (71), Wilmington University (92) and Holy Family University (160). The Golden Falcons return six of the seven runners who participated in last season's event and have added freshman Rob Albano, who has been named CACC Runner of the Week four times and Rookie of the Week on six occasions thus far in 2009.

Wilmington enters the week ranked ninth in the East Region, and is the only CACC team in the poll. Felician was ranked as high as eighth earlier in the season. Wilmington has been led by freshman Bill Steele, who has earned CACC Rookie of the Week accolades twice. The Wildcats won the Wilmington Invitational on Sept. 12, the Delaware Invitational on Sept. 19, the Belmont Classic on Oct. 3 and the Cabrini Invitational on Oct. 10.

Philadelphia won its first CACC women's cross country title last season with 47 points, ahead of runner-up Georgian Court University's 61 points. Felician was third with 90 points, followed by Wilmington (94) and Nyack College (123).

Five runners from Philadelphia earned All-Conference honors last season, and four return in 2009. Headlining the returning runners is sophomore Sarah Simonetti, who placed fifth at last season's conference championship. Simonetti has won four races thus far in 2009, including the Haverford Time Trials on Sept. 1, the Wilmington Invitational on Sept. 12, the Delaware Invitational on Sept. 19 and the Philadelphia Metro Championships on Sept. 26. Fellow Lady Ram Anjelica DiNucci placed second behind Simonetti at Haverford, Wilmington, and the Philadelphia Metro meet.

Georgian Court will be led by a trio of freshmen, including Justine Berger, Cynthia Cuiule and Allison Landry. Berger has claimed CACC Rookie of the Week honors six times thus far in 2009. The Lions placed second at three invitationals this season, including the Delaware Invitational, the Philadelphia Metro Championships and the Cabrini Invitational.

Philadelphia enters the week ranked sixth in the East Region, while Georgian Court is eighth.

Last year's women's individual champion, Wilmington's Danielle Burcham, is back to lead the Wildcats. She was the only female to break 20 minutes last season, winning the race in 19:38.