DALLAS, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley women's cross country team overcame a muddy course and warm weather to finish third at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championships on Saturday in Dallas.
The Dutchmen has three All-Conference finishers and placed their entire top seven in the top 50 of the race that had 120 finishers. "This course was really muddy/soft and the warm weather made it feel like a real battle out there today, said head coach James O'Brien about the course at Letterkenny Fields. "The way the course ran made this a different meet than anything we've experienced so far this year. It was a slow day all around."
Coyla Bartholomew had a great race to finish fifth overall and earn First Team honors with a time of 24:13.9 on the 6,000-meter course. It is the second year in a row she has earned All-MAC honors.
Lauren Bunke finished 11th to earn Second Team honors with a time of 24:43.1.
Autumn Garges was the third Dutchmen to earn All-MAC honors with a time of 25:26.4 to finish 16th and earn a spot on the Second Team.
"Our team placement matched our expectations going in the race just played out a little bit differently than we thought due to the course," O'Brien stated. "Over the years we have proven that we are consistently one of the best in the conference, in our last five championships we've finished second twice, third twice, and fourth once. I'm really proud of our ability to be consistently excellent. Coyla had an absolutely amazing race today, probably her best in college so far. Bunke dealt with a mid-race side-stitch but did great in rallying for some valuable team points over the latter stages. Autumn was so tough just moving up the whole time. Our grouping of Abby, Aleah and Izzy was super important in closing out our team score."
Abigail Hunt and
Aleah Hoffman finished 35th and 36th to round out the top five. Hunt crossed the line in 26:34.2 while Hoffman ran 26:39.9.
Izzy Zwally was 38th with a time of 26:47.2 and
Charlee Kurtz ran 27:06.6 to finish 44th.
Host Misericordia University won the team title with 43 points. Widener University finished second with 57 points and had the Individual Champion in Gabriella Nye who finished in 23:51.6. LVC scored 103 points to finish third. DeSales University was fourth with 108 points and Messiah University rounded out the top five with 142 points.
LVC Finishers
Up Next
LVC will have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships being held at Lock Haven on Saturday November 11.
2023 MAC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY AWARDS
Team Champion: Misericordia
Runner of the Year / Individual Champion: Gabrielle Nye, Widener
Rookie of the Year: Madison Kimmel, Messiah
Coach of the Year: Chris Wadas, Misericordia
All-MAC First Team (1st-10th)
1. Gabriella Nye, Widener
2. Grace Gallagher, Misericordia
3. Katie Anthony, Messiah
4. Brianna Wagner, Misericordia
5. Coyla Bartholomew, Lebanon Valley
6. Liz Egan, Widener
7. Katherine Jones, Misericordia
8. Madison Kammer, Misericordia
9. April Browne, Arcadia
10. Micah Gordley, Arcadia
All-MAC Second Team (11th-20th)
11. Lauren Bunke, Lebanon Valley
12. Aylene Noy, Hood
13. Shae Zeitler, DeSales
14. Madison Kimmel, Messiah
15. Kathryn Long, Widener
16. Autumn Garges, Lebanon Valley
17. Chris Tran, Widener
18. Morgan Anderson, Widener
19. Caitlyn Saccary, DeSales
20. Haley Estus, DeSales
All-MAC Third Team (21st-30th)
21. Zoe Tomko, King's
22. Rachel Ulrich, Misericordia
23. Angelina Klein, DeSales
24. Jacqueline Lulaj, Stevens
25. Rebecca Gauthier, Stevenson
26. Alyssa Blackmon, Delaware Valley
27. Jaden Sweely, Widener
28. Natalie Hamlen, Messiah
29. Grace Morningstar, Misericordia
30. Emma Sutherland, Arcadia
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