HOLMDEL, N.J. – Mia Melao placed 45th in a field of 138 runner to lead Fairfield University Women's Cross Country on Saturday at the 2019 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship. The Stags placed eighth in the 6K race at Holmdel Park in Holmdel, N.J.
 
Melao turned in a time of 23:44.24 in the 6K. She was followed by Courtney Kitchen (23:52.08), Molly Silvestri (23:53.56), Casey Ems (24:17.03) and Anna Weissenberg (24:34.07) to round out Fairfield's quintet of scoring runners. All five scorers completed the course in the top half of the field.
 
The Stags' eighth-place finish is their best team performance since 2013. Fairfield topped Niagara, Canisius and Saint Peter's on the team charts and was 31 points behind seventh-place Manhattan.
 
Perennial powerhouse Iona boasted the top four finishers in the race to safely secure the crown as the 2019 MAAC Champion. Egle Morenaite broke the tape for the Gaels as the individual winner with a time of 21:18.13.
 
As a part of the championship festivities, the Stags had five student-athletes tabbed for the MAAC All-Academic Team: Genevieve Connelly, Kelsi Farren, Jane Frawley, Rachel Martin and Mia Melao.
 
Fairfield Women's Cross Country continues its championship season on Friday, Nov. 15 in Buffalo, N.Y. at the 2019 NCAA Northeast Regional Championship.