Adams Named LEC Runner of the Year

PROVIDENCE, R.I.-Keene State College senior Jennifer Adams (Saratoga, Springs, N.Y.) was named the Little East Conference Female Runner of the Year this afternoon after a vote by the conference head coaches. Adams dominated the conference circuit this season, earning Little East Conference Female Runner of the Week honors four times.

This is the first time the Little East Conference coaches' have awarded a runner of the year. University of Southern Maine senior Curtis Wheeler was named the inaugural Little East Conference Male Runner of the Year.

Adams became just the second runner in Keene State College history to capture the NCAA New England Regional Championship this past weekend, becoming the first Owl to break the tape since Wilson Perez won the men's title in 2000. She crossed the 6-kilometer finish line in 21 minutes, 20 seconds, defeating her closest competitor by 11 seconds.

"I'm very pleased to receive the honor," said Adams.  It's nice to be recognized for the hard work and long hours of training needed to excel in the sport."

On Oct. 27, Adams was the lone runner in the conference to eclipse the 18-minute barrier at the 2007 Little East Conference Championships, hosted by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. She covered the 5-kilometer course in 17 minutes, 52 seconds, outdistancing her nearest competition by 103 seconds. Adams also claimed the Little East Conference/Alliance Championship the same morning, besting the 125-person field.

Adams has paced Keene State College in five of the seven meets she has participated in this season. She has recorded four individual championships, while finishing in the top-five in six competitions.

The Saratoga, Springs N.Y. product earned a berth into the NCAA Div. III Cross Country Championship field with her victory at the NCAA New England Regional Championships. Adams will compete against the nation's elite runners on Nov. 17 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. She is making her third consecutive appearance on the national stage, earning All-American honors in 2005.