By Jim Fenton

DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University junior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) was the top Division III runner on Saturday at the 51st UMass Dartmouth Invitational held in the UMD campus.

Cass finished 19th in a field of 345 harriers with a personal-best time of 18:14.51 on the rain-soaked and muddy five-kilometer course.

A year ago, Cass was 24th in the meet with a time of 18:40.38.

Cass began this season by winning the Wheaton & Babson Season Opener in Attleboro.

Brown University won the meet, which included Division 1-3 teams, with Northeastern and the University of Rhode Island following. The first Division 3 team to place was Connecticut College, which was fourth.

Northeastern graduate student Tessa McClain (Harvard, Mass.) was the first runner to cross the finish line in 17:31.99.

The other BSU runners taking part in the race were senior Kate Brown (Acushnet, Mass.), who was 241st in 22:14.46; senior Ana Imrie (Arlington, Mass.), who was 249th in 22:21.87; and graduate student Lisa Jaeger (Medfield, Mass.), who was 275th in 23:31.77. Imrie also recorded a person-best time at the meet.

After a week off, the Bears will be in New Hampshire on Oct. 5 for the Keene State Invitational.