A new era begins for the Massachusetts Maritime women’s cross country program this fall, as Tricia O’Brien takes the reins as the Buccaneers’ new head coach for longtime mentor Linda Letourneau.  O’Brien welcomes back four letterwinners and welcomes in five talented newcomers that will look to make a run at the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference crown.

Junior Dominique Dertien (Panama City, Fla./Balboa Academy) is the top returning runner for Massachusetts Maritime this fall, as she was consistently the second individual across the line for the Buccaneers in 2013.  Seniors Elise LaBonte (Weymouth, Mass./Weymouth) and Jillian Petrarca (Manutuck, R.I./South Kingstown), along with sophomore Celeste Menard (Annandale, Va./Woodson), provide additional experience for the Buccaneers this season.

O’Brien, who brings a wealth of coaching experience to her new coaching position at Massachusetts Maritime, has five new additions to this year’s roster, as juniors Shavonne Boyle (Doylestown, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Amanda Subenko (Braintree, Mass./Braintree), along with freshmen Lexy Halpin (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth South), Kaylene Murphy (Randolph, Mass./Ursuline Academy) and Julia Staula (Sharon, Mass./Sharon), lend depth to the squad.

Massachusetts Maritime begins the 2014 season on Saturday, September 6^th by hosting the 10^th Annual Lt. Travis J. Fuller Invitational alongside the Cape Cod Canal beginning at 10:00 a.m. EDT.  The Buccaneers will compete during the regular season at the University of New England, UMass Dartmouth, Elms, CCRI, Westfield State and Emmanuel before the MASCAC/New England Alliance Championships on November 1^st at MCLA.