MANCHESTER, N.H. – Bentley University graduate student Amy Varsell (Burlington, Conn./Lewis S. Mills HS) took second place in the 2013 Northeast-10 Conference Women's Cross Country Championships Saturday morning at Saint Anselm College, finishing a second behind winner Alexandra Stasiuk of American International College.

Varsell, who finished the 5,000-meter course in an even 18 minutes, earned first-team All-Northeast-10 honors for the second time in her career, and was joined on the All-Conference first-team by senior captain Ashley Nichols (Kenmore, Wash./Inglemoor HS). She was sixth in 18:34.

The efforts of Varsell and Nichols helped Bentley place third among 15 teams. Stonehill had five of the top seven finishers to easily claim the team title with a score of 35 points. St. Michael's College followed with 103 and Bentley finished with 130.

Bentley's top five also included sophomore Sarah Brennan (Quincy, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) (27th, 19:27), senior Leah Schiller (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe HS) (52nd, 20:10) and junior Nikki Sirignano (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington HS) (54th, 20:12).

Bentley was without standout junior Tara Dooley (Lee, Mass./Lee HS), the conference runner-up in both 2011 and 2012, due to injury. She's expected to be back when the  NCAA Division II East Regional is held at Franklin Park Nov. 10.

NORTHEAST-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Manchester, N.H.

Team Standings: 1. Stonehill 35, 2. St. Michael's 103, 3. Bentley 130; 4. Merrimack 147; 5. Southern New Hampshire 156; 6. Saint Rose 164; 7. Adelphi 169; 8. Le Moyne 226; 9. American International 238; 10. Assumption 246; 11. Southern Connecticut 251; 12. Saint Anselm 259; 13. Franklin Pierce 299; 14. New Haven 381; 15. Pace 432.

Top Individuals: 1. Alexandra Stasiuk, AIC, 17:59; 2. Amy Varsell, Bentley, 18:00; 3. Chelsea Bishop, Stonehill, 18:04; 4. Betsy Eickelberg, Adelphi, 18:14; 5. Emily Regan, Stonehill, 18:24. 

Other Bentley Runners: 6. Ashley Nichols, 18:34; 27. Sarah Brennan, 19:27; 52. Leah Schiller, 20:10; 54. Nikki Sirignano, 20:12; 57. Danielle Coskren, 20:20; 75. Brittany Baudier, 20:46; 77. Dusty Sacco, 20:88; 88. Kathryn Burke, 21:08; 105. Alix Pettinella, 21:32; 111. Emily Normandin, 21:38; 129. Arianne Bourgault, 22:28.