NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Following several strong showings throughout the season, the Niagara men’s and women’s cross country teams are headed to Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, N.Y., for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships on Friday. The women’s 6K race is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start, followed by the men’s 8K race at 1:45 p.m.

Nearly every Purple Eagle runner has recorded a personal-best time this year, including senior Julie Dickhans (Sewickley, Pa.), a three-time MAAC runner of the week honoree. In her final season, Dickhans has continued to lower her times and owns a career-best 18:29 over 5K. Although she has not run a 6K race this year, Dickhans posted her best 6K time at last year’s MAAC Championships. In 2006, she finished the Van Cortlandt course in 22:50.5 and her ninth-place finish at the conference meet was also a career high.

Sophomore Jill Snopkowski (Torrington, Conn.) has posted Niagara’s top 6K time this season, finishing 67th in a career-best 25:26 at the Spiked Shoe Invitational in late September. Snopkowski has run under 21 minutes over 5K in three races this year, and is coming off a personal-best performance at the Falcon Invitational, where she ran 20:20.17.

On the men’s side, Niagara has been led by sophomore Colin Durina (Poland, Ohio), who has competed in four of Niagara’s five races. Durina missed Niagara’s last meet, but may be cleared to compete on Friday. At last year’s conference meet, Durina turned in a career performance, finishing the 8K course in 27:09.3.

Freshman Mike Trendell (Oriskany Falls, N.Y.) owns Niagara’s fastest 8K time this season and is the only Purple Eagle to finish under 27 minutes. At the Falcon Invitational, Trendell lowered his 8K time to 26:48.51, shaving more than 30 seconds off his previous best.

Both the men’s and women’s teams finished sixth at last year’s meet. The sixth-place finish by the men was the team’s best showing since 1991, while the women’s team’s top finish came in 2005 when they were fifth overall.