Georgetown showed its strength at the 2006 Big East Championships on Friday at Franklin Park in Boston. Both the men’s and women’s squads turned in runner-up team honors behind strong individual performances.

Ranked 16th in the country in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national poll, the men’s team earned 58 points to finish behind first place Providence who tallied 52 points. No. 12 Notre Dame finished behind the Hoyas with 70 points.

Providence earned valuable points as their top runner, senior artin Fagan, won the overall race in a Big East course record of 23:06 for the 8000-meter course. Their second runner finished fourth.

“We ran a great race, they just ran better and beat us,” Assistant Coach Pat Henner said. “Their one-two runners are some of the best runners in the nation and having them finish so high is really what put them over the top.”

This is the third-straight year and 15th time overall, a Big East record, in which the Hoya men have taken home runner-up honors at the Big East championship.

The Hoya charge was led by junior Matt Debole who finished in fifth place with a time of 23:35. Sophomore Levi Miller followed closely behind in 23:45, good for seventh place.

“Debole and Miller ran strong races, their times were some of the fastest ever run by a Georgetown runner at the Big East meet,” Henner said.

Sophomore Andrew Bumbalough and junior Michael Banks were the next Georgetown runners in as they crossed the line in 11th and 14th places respectively with times of 23:57 and 24:14.

Junior Justin Scheid completed the Hoya scorers with a 21st place finish with a time of 24:20.

Debole, Miller, Bumbalough and Banks all earned Big East Honors for their top 15 placing.

On the women’s side, the Hoyas produced similar runner-up honors, bested only by Providence. Ranked 18th by the USTFCCCA in the latest rankings, Georgetown accumulated a total of 68 points behind the No. 12 ranked Friars who amassed a meager 39 points.

Including this year, the Hoyas have taken home runner-up honors at the league championship eight times.

The Hoya effort was led by senior Elizabeth Maloy who continued her strong campaign with a third place finish. She covered the 6,000m course in 20:42. She finished behind race winner Villanova’s Frances Koons who ran 20:28. Junior Melissa Grelli continued to improve this season with an eighth-place finish in a time of 21:10. “We have the two frontrunners on the team now,” Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Ron Helmer said. “The combination of this plus our great depth is going to put us where we need to be for NCAAs.”

Junior Jennie Funk turned in a strong race as she finished in 16th place with a time of 21:34.

“Jennie ran strong, I think she has the ability to race at a high level,” Helmer said.

Funk has been troubled with injury for most of her Georgetown running career, having to redshirt both track seasons her freshman year and missing last years Big East championships.

“It’s incredibly satisfying having stayed the course and not given up even after all the injuries,” Funk said, “It’s even more satisfying to be able to contribute to the team and run together.”

Graduate student Hillary Bontz finished right behind Funk in 18th place with a time of 21:36. Sophomore Natasha Labeaud rounded out the Hoya scorers with a 23rd place finish with at time of 21:45.

The second place finishes and rising national ranking put Georgetown in elite company and in good position as the season enters the time when competition separates good teams from great ones.

“We’re developing great depth and are rising to a certain level of competition that’s going to allow us to win some races,” Helmer said.