STANDISH, ME – Saint Joseph's sophomore Amber Dostie (Standish, Maine) has been selected as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) NCAA DIII New England Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week.
Dostie, a three-time Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Runner of the Week honoree, finished as the runner-up in the Keene State College Invitational last Saturday after touring the 5K course in 19:11, just 10 seconds off the pace of the individual victor.
Her effort in the Keene event ranks as the third fastest 5K time ever recorded by an SJC runner. Dostie shattered the Saint Joseph's 5K record when she captured individual top honors with an 18:33 performance in the Raiders Invitational at Rivier University on Friday, September 21st. The previous top 5K time, 19:05, was run by Kristin Lindholm at Gordon College in 1992.
Dostie's resume is quite impressive, as the second-year standout has racked up five individual victories with a pair of runner-up efforts in 10 events in less than two seasons. The 2011 GNAC Runner and Rookie of the Year, Dostie also has three conference rookie of the week accolades and has now been selected as the GNAC Runner of the Week six times during her young career.
It is believed that Dostie is the first Saint Joseph's female runner to earn an ECAC weekly accolade. Overall, she is the ninth SJC athlete – across all sports – to claim an ECAC honor and the first since former field hockey player TJ Cowin was named as the ECAC Offensive Player of the Week on September 12th, 2011.
Saint Joseph's College, founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, celebrates its Centennial year in 2012 with a theme of "Realize the Promise" – honoring our commitment to educating well-rounded graduates who combine career focus with classic liberal arts studies. A Private, Catholic, primarily residential, coeducational liberal arts institution, Saint Joseph's welcomes students of all ages and all faiths. The campus, located 18 miles northwest of Portland and just two hours from Boston, encompasses 350 acres along the shore of beautiful Sebago Lake in Standish, Maine. Enrollment ranges between 1,000 and 1,100 students annually. Saint Joseph's offers challenging academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education, nursing and business fields in a value-centered environment.
