QUEENS, N.Y. - Red Storm freshman Sarah Sudbury finished 49th in the 6K run at the 2008 USA Cross Country Junior Women's Championship in San Diego, California on Saturday, Feb. 16.

The freshman from Tomahawk, Wis., competed against some of the best distance runners in the country. The top eight finishers in the championships, held at Mission Bay Park, will represent the USA National Team at the 2008 World Cross Country Championships.

"It's tough going from the current indoor season back to cross country, but she did a great job with that and the change of climates," said head coach Jim Hurt. "We thought it would be a great experience for her to compete with her peer group at the national level and we feel pretty good about it. The experience will help her and the rest of her teammates get ready for next year's cross country season."

During the 2007 cross country season, Sudbury placed 39th in the MET Championship, 84th in the BIG EAST Championship, and 161st at the NCAA Regionals.

The Red Storm hasn't sent anyone to compete at the cross country junior nationals Danielle Eckartz ran in 1998. Currently, Eckartz holds the school record for the outdoor 3,000-run (9:46.21 minutes).

"Having Sarah compete at such a high national level is great and it helps support our current efforts to held rebuild the St. John's cross country and distance program," said Hurt.

In more Red Storm news from around the United States, alumnus DeWayne Barrett, Class of 2003, competed in the Tyson Invitational at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., the same weekend. Barrett was runner-up in the 400-meter open competition with a time of 46.88. With the finish, Barrett has a good chance of making the Jamaican national team to compete at the World Indoor Championships.