Regan Wins National Championship
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Stevens Institute of Technology women's cross country senior
Amy Regan won her second NCAA Division III women's cross country national championship, besting the field of 280 runners by 14.8 seconds in claiming her sixth individual crown. The Green Brook, New Jersey native was also the Division III national champion in 2014.
Paced by a 5:26 mile, the senior completed the six-kilometer course in 20:16.4. Sophomore
Mary Visca was the next Duck to cross the finish line, crossing in 20th place with a time of 21:07. Stevens joined Washington (MO) University as the only schools to place two runners in the top-20.
In addition to her cross country national titles, Regan has earned individual championships in the 5,000 and 10,000-meter events in outdoor track and in the 3,000 and 5,000-meter events in indoor track and field.
"Amy's undefeated season is one of the most impressive string of races I've ever seen," head coach
Justin Wood said. "That is really tough to do and everyone else is getting better as well. She prepared well and raced like a true champion."
The Ithaca College women's cross country team finished 11th out of 32 schools. As a team, the Ducks placed 26th in the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA cross country championships.
Ithaca's 11th place finish is the best placement for the Bombers since an eighth place showing in 2005.
Under frigid and windy conditions, Ithaca junior
Taryn Cordani paced the Bombers with an 11th place finish of her own in a time of 20:54.8 on the 6K course to secure her second consecutive All-American performance. Cordani jumped out with the lead pack early on in the race and was in third at the 4.18-kilometer mark. Last season, Cordani came in 14th with a time of 21:36.3.
Junior
Denise Ibarra took 48th overall in a time of 21:34.8, and was within the top 20 early on in the race. Freshman
Annie Morrison completed the course next at 22:07.6 to come in 126th out of 280 runners.
Sophomore
Emilie Mertz came in 181st at 22:29.9, while classmate
Sierra Grazia was 196th in 22:35.2. Graduate student
Michaela Cioffredi (208th – 22:41.9) and senior
Emily Drain (254th – 23:22.4) rounded out Ithaca's championship.
The Bombers averaged a time of 21:57 on the course and were just eight points behind Hope College in 10th. Johns Hopkins University won the national title with 128 points, while Amy Regan of Stevens Institute of Technology claimed the individual crown with a time of 20:16.4 for her second national championship.