NAC Women’s Cross Country Championship to take place at SUNY Canton
WATERVILLE, Maine – A total of 10 women’s cross country programs will converge on SUNY Canton this Saturday to compete for the 2022 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Women’s Cross Country Championship.
The women’s 6000m race will start at 12:00 p.m., preceded by the men’s 8000m race at 11:00 a.m.
SUNY Delhi will be looking to capture a third straight NAC crown (there was no NAC Cross Country Championship held in 2020 due to COVID), led by first year phenom Alexa Wolcott. The Broncos edged out Husson University by three points at the 2021 NAC meet, and the Eagles will be looking for their first NAC crown since 2012 this Saturday at SUNY Canton. Husson will be led by 2021 individual champion Ava Dowling, who captured 2021 NAC Runner of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors.
Husson University was the women’s cross country coaches’ pick to finish first in this year’s NAC championship, in pre-championship voting conducted among the league’s head coaches. The Eagles earned 95 points in the voting, including five first-place votes. SUNY Delhi emerged second in the voting, while UMaine-Farmington was third.
The complete poll, along with pre-championship capsules on each of the participating teams, is below:
Husson University – 95 points (5 first-place votes)
Head Coach: Kate Goupee
Husson will have four runners with 2021 NAC meet experience in the starting box, led by 2021 individual NAC champion Ava Dowling (21:48.5)… Miranda Dunton (second, 23:06.8) and Payton Goodwin (sixth, 23:31.7) also finished among the top 10 a year ago… the Eagles finished sixth at the Westfield State James Earley Invitational – best finish in program history at the event… Husson won the SUNY Canton meet… Goodwin placed ninth at the Maine State Championship meet, Husson’s second-best individual finish in program history at the event.
SUNY Delhi – 88 points (4 first-place votes)
Head Coach: Zach Brown
The Broncos have five runners back who participated in the 2021 NAC championship, including top-10 finishers Marissa Lombardi (ninth, 24:18.6) and Mary Lyons (10th, 24:22.8)… first year Alexa Wolcott has been SUNY Delhi’s top performer this year, with a top 5000m time of 19:43 (fourth at Vassar Invite) and a top 6000m time of 23:45 (18th at Rochester Yellowjacket Invite)… Wolcott posted the second-fastest 6000m time in school history.
UMaine-Farmington – 74 points
Head Coach: Sean Cabaniss
Six runners who competed in the 2021 NAC meet will be back in the starting box for UMaine-Farmington on Saturday, led by Anna MacDonald (eighth, 24:17.1) and Charlotte Wentworth (13th, 24:46.1)… the Beavers took first at the UMA Meet on Sept. 11… Wentworth ran the 10th fastest 6k in program history at the Maine State Championship… Wentworth clocked the ninth fastest 5k in program history at the Bowdoin Invitational, while MacDonald ran the 10th fastest 5k all-time in the same meet… UMF finished in first place at the St. Joseph’s College Runnin' Monk Invitational, with Wentworth, MacDonald and Poteet all finishing among the top six.
SUNY Cobleskill – 55 points
Head Coach: Mitchell J. Tomaszkiewicz
The Fighting Tigers will be led into the 2022 NAC Championships by Jenna Swyers, who finished 27thoverall at the 2021 meet… Swyers took first-place honors at the Castleton Invitational in early September… Alyssa Freeguard finished ninth at the SUNY Cobleskill Steven A. Warde Invitational.
SUNY Poly – 51 points
Head Coach: Jordon Hoffman
SUNY Poly’s Lauren Phetteplace was third overall at the 2021 NAC Championship, completing the course in 23:08.8… this season, Phetteplace placed fourth at the SUNY Poly Short Course meet and seventh at the Wildcat Classic for the Wildcats’ top individual performances this season.
Thomas College – 46 points
Head Coach: Alanna McDonough
The Terriers’ group of returnees is led by Amanda Winslow, Sophia Lingar, and Sarah Chadwick, all of whom competed in last year’s NAC Championship… first year Maria Protheroe posted individual first-place finishes at both the UMaine-Presque Isle and UMaine-Augusta meets… as a team, the Terriers took first place at the UMPI Invitational, and were second at UMA.
Cazenovia College – 41 points (1 first-place vote)
Head Coach: Bill Houser
Alyssa Beck leads the Cazenovia Wildcats into the 2022 NAC Championship, after placing 34th at the 2021 event.
SUNY Canton – 35 points
Head Coach: John Kennedy
SUNY Canton finished fifth at the 2021 NAC Championship, and return three runners in sophomore Lydia Snow (16th – 25:11), sophomore Lailah Emad (48th – 29:49) and senior Taylor Brassard (67th – 50:30)… the team has a pair of top three finishes at the Castleton Invitational (9/3) and their home invitational (9/17)… Lydia Snow has led the Roos in all three races in which she has competed, while Megan Cowles led the team in the other two races at Cazenovia (10/1) and the Cross Country Only Championships (10/15).
UMaine-Presque Isle – 33 points
Head Coach: Chris Smith
Katelyn Osborne was UMPI’s top finisher at the 2021 NAC meet, crossing the finish line in sixth place... she leads a group of three runners with prior NAC Championship experience… Osborne finished the Bowdoin Invitational 6k in 25:07.3 earning her a fourth place finish, just one of her six top ten finishes this year… alongside Osborne, senior Annaset Jackson will compete in her final NAC meet, while the other Owls runners will look to continue to improve.
Maine Maritime Academy – 32 points
Head Coach: OJ Logue
Maine Maritime returns three runners – Joanna Howard, Sarah Smith, and Darby Cendoma – who raced in the 2021 NAC meet… Milo Cook-Sharp led the Mariners at the Western New England Invitational, finishing 45th with a time of 28:47 over the 6000m course.