Aug. 20, 2009

RICHMOND, Va. - A total of five Patriots were honored on Thursday when the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) announced its prestigious 25th Anniversary Team for women's cross country. All five members of the team from Mason captured CAA Championships and four received NCAA All-American accolades.

The members of the team from George Mason include Amina Amaddah (1995-98), Lauretta Miller (1989-93), Cassie O'Neill (1988-89), Kim Saddic (1988-91) and Andrea Volpe (1986-88). The team was selected by a panel of current and former head coaches in the conference.

Amaddah, the CAA Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Year in 1996 and 1997, was an NCAA All-American during the 1997 season. The Casablanca, Morocco native won the individual title at the 1996 CAA Cross Country Championship with a time of 17:35. She became only the second athlete to capture back-to-back CAA Championships when she captured the 1997 title with a time of 17:14.

Miller had an outstanding year in 1989, winning the CAA individual title (17:18) and the conference's Cross Country Athlete of the Year award on her way to earning NCAA All-America status. In 1990, the Carson City, Nev. native took third place at the championship meet with a time of 18:08.

O'Neill, a Rye, N.J. native, won the CAA individual title in 1988 with a time of 17:16 at the championship meet. She was also named the Cross Country Athlete of the Year by the conference and went on earn NCAA All-American honors that year. O'Neill finished in fourth place at the 1989 CAA Championships, crossing the finish line in 18:24.

A three-time NCAA Cross Country Championship qualifier and two-time All-American, Saddic took home the CAA Championship during her senior year of 1991 with a time of 16:49. The West Chester, Pa. native was named the CAA Cross Country Athlete of the Year for her performance during her senior season. In 1989 and 1990, she finished in second place at the conference championship meet.

Volpe, a native of Springfield, Va., won the CAA Cross Country Athlete of the Year award during the 1987 season after finishing first at the conference championship meet with a time of 17:48. In 1986, she finished in third place at the CAA Championship meet.

William and Mary has been the conference's most successful women's cross country program, capturing 16 of the 24 CAA championships, including the last six in a row. The Tribe has competed in the NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship six times and recorded a 10th-place finish in 1998. James Madison has won five CAA championships, including a streak of four straight from 1999-2002. George Mason claimed CAA titles in 1985, 1986 and 1989.

The CAA is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the conference in 2009 by selecting a Silver Anniversary Team in each of the sports it sponsors. In addition to women's cross country, the CAA has already announced its 25th Anniversary Teams in men's soccer, women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's cross country.

CAA Women's Cross Country 25th Anniversary Team
Amina Amaddah, George Mason
Meghan Bishop, W&M
Janice Brown, W&M
Maria-Elena Calle, VCU
Julia Cathcart, W&M
Mollie DeFrancesco, JMU
Cindy Dunham, JMU
Bethany Eigel, JMU
Emily Furia, W&M
Rachel Hannah, Georgia State
Heather Hanscom, JMU
Ali Henderson, W&M
Marcie Homan, W&M
Jackie Kosakowski, W&M
Lauretta Miller, George Mason
Kathy Newberry, W&M
Cassie O'Neill, George Mason
Laura Rhoads, UNCW
Kim Saddic, George Mason
Shannon Saunders, JMU
Jessica Space, Richmond
Dena Spickard, JMU
Cathy Stanmeyer, W&M
Andrea Volpe, George Mason
Josephine White, Richmond