Pat Riley will lead the UD men's team    Aimee Alexander will lead the UD women's team

DATE: October 26, 2001

WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- The University of Delaware will be competing in its first-ever Colonial Athletic Association Championship Saturday as the Blue Hen men's and women's cross country teams take part in the CAA Championships at William & Mary's Eastern State Cross Country Course.

The men's eight kilometer race will begin at 11 a.m. followed by the women's six kilometer race at 11:45 a.m. William & Mary is the defending champion for both men and women. The Tribe has won 10 of the last 11 women's championships and six of the last eight men's titles. Delaware is a first-year member of the CAA after competing the last 10 seasons in the America East conference.

The Blue Hen men, who placed fourth last year at the America East Championships, are led by junior Pat Riley (St. Mark's/Newark, DE) who has led the team in all five races this fall, including winning both Delaware Invitationals as well as the William & Mary Invitational Sept. 29. He placed sixth at last year's America East championships.

Other top hopes for the Blue Hen men are sophomore Matt Swierzbinski (Caesar Rodney HS/Wyoming, DE), junior Pat Boettcher (William Penn/New Castle, DE), and senior Peter Kelly. Swierzbinski has been Delaware's No. 2 finisher twice this season while Boettcher placed 26th and Kelly 27th at last year's America East meet.

For the Delaware women, senior Aimee Alexander will lead the way with help from fellow seniors Karen Reber and Monica Marchetta. Alexander has led the team in all five races this season, including winning the Delaware Invitational Oct. 13 and placing third at the William & Mary Invitational Sept. 29. She placed 10th at the America East championships in 2000 when Delaware placed fifth as a team.

Reber, who was Delaware's top finisher at the George Mason Invitational with a third place finish Oct. 6, placed 19th at the America East meet a year ago while Marchetta placed 18th.