WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University freshman Tara Dooley (Lee/Lee HS) has been named the Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Week in the Northeast-10 Conference after her outstanding performance in the conference championships Sunday.  It's the second time this season that Dooley has received the honor.

Dooley finished second overall at the Northeast-10 Championships, which were held at Stanley Park in Westfield, and was selected by the conference coaches as the Northeast-10's Rookie of the Year. She finished just five seconds back of repeat champion Jeptui Cherutich of American International, with her time of 17:44 the second best 5,000-meter time in the NE-10 this season.  Her effort helped Bentley finish second in the team standings, behind nationally-ranked Stonehill College.

Dooley is the first Bentley woman to earn the NE-10 Rookie of the Year award since Allison March in 1999.

Dooley came to Bentley with no cross country experience, having been a basketball, soccer and lacrosse player while in high school. She made her collegiate debut earlier this month by placing 28th in the New England Championships at Boston's Franklin Park.

Dooley and her teammates will run again on Nov. 7 when the NCAA Division II East Regional is contested at Franklin Park. The top two teams and top two individuals not on those qualifying teams will advance to the NCAA Championships in Spokane, Wash. later in November.