The Bentley University men’s and women’s cross country teams will have their sights set on earning a trip to Spokane, Wash. and the NCAA Division II Championships when they run Sunday afternoon at Boston’s Franklin Park in the NCAA Division II East Regional. The women’s race is set for 1:30 pm and the men will follow at 2:30 pm.

Juniors Rob Dextradeur (Branford, Conn./Branford HS) and Craig Robinson (Scarborough, Maine/Scarborough HS) were the top finishers for the Bentley University Falcons at the Northeast-10 Conference Championships Sunday at Stanley Park.

Three athletes whose resumes include past All-Conference recognition and promising freshman Tara Dooley (Lee/Lee HS) will be among the members of the Bentley University cross country teams who’ll be in action Sunday morning when the 31st Northeast-10 Conference Championships are contested at the Stanley Park in Westfield.

Junior Rob Dextradeur (Branford, Conn./Branford HS) was the number one runner for the Bentley University men’s cross country during Saturday’s New England Championships at Franklin Park.

Junior Craig Robinson (Scarborough, Maine/Scarborough HS) and senior Tom Witherell (Los Alamos, N.M./Los Alamos HS) were the top finishers for the Bentley University men’s cross country team during the 44th annual Codfish Bowl at Franklin Park Saturday.

Bentley University junior Rob Dextradeur (Branford, Conn./Branford HS) opened his season by breaking the tape at the UMass-Dartmouth Shriners Men’s Cross Country Invitational Saturday afternoon. The victory was his third since the start of last season.

Freshman Ned Furtney (Canton, Conn./Canton HS) made a strong collegiate debut for the Bentley University men’s cross country team during Saturday’s Shacklette Invitational at Saint Anselm College.

Senior Evelyn Marrero (Amsterdam/Amsterdam HS) has been selected as captain of the 2011 Bentley University women’s cross country team and a pair of juniors, John Drago (Avon, Conn./Avon HS) and Rob Dextradeur (Branford, Conn./Branford HS), will serve that role for the men’s team, head coach Kevin Curtin announced.

With the majority of both teams returning, the Bentley University men’s and women’s cross country teams both garnered significant respect in the preseason Division II East Region rankings, announced by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The women’s team was ranked third, behind Stonehill College and Southern Connecticut State, and the Falcon men were fourth, trailing UMass-Lowell, Stonehill and Southern Connecticut.

Seven Bentley University athletic teams have been presented with Team Academic Excellence Awards by the Northeast-10 Conference for the 2010-11 academic year. The awards honor the teams with the highest grade point average in each of the conference’s sponsored sports.

Four members of the Bentley University cross country teams were recently named to the 2010 Academic All-Northeast-10 Conference team. Among those earning the distinction were seniors Sean Reagan (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus HS) and Lauren Lesniak (Dracut/Dracut HS). Also selected were sophomores John Drago (Avon, Conn./Avon HS) and Amy Varsell (Burlington, Conn./Lewis S. Mills HS).

Kevin Curtin, head coach of the New Balance Boston Track Club since 2003, has been named the men’s and women’s track and cross country coach at Bentley University, athletics director Bob DeFelice announced.

With sophomores comprising four of its top runners, the Bentley University men’s cross country team finished fifth out of 26 teams in the NCAA Division II East Regional Sunday at Franklin Park.

Ed Lyons, men’s and women’s track and cross country coach at Bentley University since 1992, has announced his retirement, effective Dec. 31.

With sophomores Curtis Trueb (Eastchester, N.Y./Eastchester HS) and Rob Dextradeur (Branford, Conn./Branford HS) leading the way, the Bentley University men’s cross country team posted its best finish in the Northeast-10 Conference Championships since 2002.

With sophomore Rob Dextradeur (Branford, Conn./Branford HS) leading a parade of teammates across the finish line, the Bentley University men’s cross country team easily captured the fifth annual Saint Rose Golden Knights Joust Friday afternoon at the Crossings of Colonie. The meet victory was the third in five races for the Falcons this fall.

Six former Bentley University standouts, including two have been previously enshrined in the Northeast-10 Conference Hall of Fame, will be inducted into the Bentley University Athletic Hall of Fame on Sunday, October 24. The Class of 2010 consists of Kim (Cummings) Singh ’96 (women’s basketball), Julie Doherty ’02 (women’s cross country and track), Gary Mello ’01 (men’s cross country and track), Mike Rymsha ’96 (football), Kevin Van Dam ’02 (men’s basketball) and Scott Yavarow ‘02 (men’s soccer and lacrosse).