2019-20 SUFFOLK WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD ROSTER
BOSTON – The Suffolk women's cross country team has announced 10 additions to the roster for the 2019-20 season, head coach Will Feldman unveiled.
Among the group is five Rams runners who helped the blue-and-gold to a second-place showing at the GNAC Cross Country Championships. The trio of Savannah Goddeeris, Michelle Riley, and Marin Stamer, each had stellar collegiate debuts on the cross country course and look to build upon that success indoors.
"Marin (Stamer) was all-conference for us during the cross country season, and we are hoping to build upon that momentum," Feldman said. "We're counting on her to take another step forward this indoor season and qualify for the New England Championships. An individual GNAC title is possible as well."
Feldman continued, "Savannah (Goddeeris) had a very strong cross country season for us, and just missed being all-conference. She will focus on the mile and 3K this season, and could qualify for New England Championships in both events."
"Michelle (Riley) is a terrific all-around athlete," said Feldman. "She can practically event from running distance to throwing shot put and high jumping. She could really shine in the throws this season, and has all-conference potential. Long term we see her competing in the heptathlon allowing her to show case all of her talents."
Nicole DiBenedetto will make her collegiate debut this winter and has potential to make her name known right away.
Feldman commented, "Nicole (DiBenedetto) is a gifted high jumper from Connecticut who placed eighth at the state championship as a senior. She has huge potential, and I wouldn't be surprised if she finished the year having qualified for New England Championships, and winning the GNAC high jump title."
Masireh Ceesay, Meredith Cormier, Ahira Ilyas and Cassandra Kuechler round out the new faces on the indoor roster.
Suffolk's indoor track & field season is set to debut this weekend at two different events: the Emmanuel Invitational at the Reggie Lewis Indoor Track & Field Center and Boston Univeristy's Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener.
MASIREH CEESAY| CHELSEA, MASS. / CHELSEA
MEREDITH CORMIER | MAYNARD, MASS. / MAYNARD
NICOLE DIBENEDETTO | MANCHESTER, CONN. / EAST CATHOLIC
BEFORE SUFFOLK – EAST CATHOLIC
Three-year letterwinner and two-year captain at East Catholic … Three-time state qualifier … Also lettered in outdoor track & field … Four-time state qualifier … Three-time Central Connecticut Conference All-Academic Team honoree (2016-19) … Member of National Honor Society in 2018-19.
SAVANNAH GODDEERIS | IMLAY CITY, MICH. / BROWN CITY ^
BEFORE SUFFOLK –BROWN CITY
Four-year letterwinner at Brown City … Earned all-state honors as a senior … Four-time all-region honoree … Three-time all-conference selection … Also lettered in indoor and outdoor track & field … Helped Brown City to the two regional championships … Aided to Brown City's back-to-back Greater Thumb Conference Championships (2018, 2019) … Member of the regional championship 3200m relay team in 2018 and 2019 … Brown City record holder in the 3200m relay, 11:58 … Helped Brown City's 3200m relay team to all-state honors in 2019 … Earned all-region and all-conference honors on the 3200m relay team in back-to-back seasons (2018, 2019) … 2018 all-conference runner in the 1600 … Two-year member of the National Honor Society and served as secretary in 2018-19 … Three-time Academic All-State honoree (2016-19) … Greater Thumb Conference All-Academic Team honorable mention.
AHRIA ILYAS | DORCHESTER, MASS. / BOSTON LATIN
CASSANDRA KUECHLER | MIDDLETON, MASS. / NORTH SHORE TECH
SARAH LAWTON | DORCHESTER, MASS. / FENWAY ^
BEFORE SUFFOLK –FENWAY
Letterwinner and two-year captain at Fenway … Holds the City of Boston Girls 5k Record … Also lettered in indoor and outdoor track & field and captained each squad for two seasons … Four-year member of Student Government.
MEBRA LUBUKHA | ELDORET, KENYA / UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI ^
MICHELLE RILEY | MILVILLE, MASS. / HOLY NAME CENTRAL CATHOLIC ^
BEFORE SUFFOLK –HOLY NAME
Three-year letterwinner and captained the team as a senior at Holy Name … Helped Holy Name to the 2018 capture that Quabbin Race as a junior … Three-time league all-star selection … Also lettered in track & field and served as captain for one season … Two-time all-star honoree … Earned varsity letters in basketball with a one-year stint as captain … Two-time league all-star … Named to the New York Gymrat, Actin Boxboro Winter Blast and Westboro All-Tournament teams … Two-year member of National Honor Society.
MARIN STAMER | BIG BEAR CITY, CALIF. / BIG BEAR ^
BEFORE SUFFOLK –BIG BEAR
Four-year letter winner and two-year team captain at Big Bear High School … Appears on each of Big Bear's Top 10 lists for every racing event in both cross country and long distance track & field … Contributed to Big Bear's 14th-place finish at the 2018 CA state championship … Helped Big Bear to three Cross Valley League Championships (2016, 2017, 2018) … Led Big Bear to the 2018 Woodbridge Cross Country Division Four Invitational Championship … Helped Big Bear to the 2015 De Anza League title … Aided to Big Bear's four CIF SS Division Four Prelims and Finals appearances … CVL League MVP of 2017 … Named All CIF-SS Division 4 in 2018 … First-team All-League De Anza (2015, 2016) … Four-time Cross Valley League First-Team All-League … Also lettered in track & field … Helped Big Bear to three Cross Valley League titles (2015, 2016, 2017) … Led Big Bear to the De Anza League Championship in 2016 … Two-time first-team All-League De Anza … Four-time Cross Valley League First-Team All-League … Played junior varsity soccer in 2015 … California Scholarship Federation Member … Highest Honors Award each of her semesters throughout four years … 2018 recipient of the Hope of America Award via the Kiwanis Club of Big Bear … Rotary Youth Leadership Academy Participator in 2018 … Three-year Interact/Rotary Club member … Four-year tutor in math, english and science … San Bernardino County Bilingual Polls Worker for the local 2018 midterms … Volunteered at the Southern California Mountains Foundation from 2015-19 … Served as POTUS and Friends Club Vice President for two years … Three-time AAUW Speech Competition participant (2015-18).
^ Also a member of Suffolk's women's cross country team