General | 10/30/2019 3:00:07 PM
ROCHESTER, NY – The 2019 Empire 8 Women’s Cross Country Championship will take place at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the South Campus Course on the campus of St. John Fisher College. Eight Empire 8 institutions will vie for the team title, as Utica is set to defend its 2018 championship.
Utica, the defending Empire 8 Champion, has competed in six events as a team in 2019. The Pioneers placed 18th overall at the Ronald Hoffman Invitational at St. Lawrence, which served as the NCAA Atlantic Region Pre-Regional. Graduate student Kaitlyn Stinson, the 2018 Empire 8 Runner of the Year, will be counted on to lead the way for the Pioneers. A two-time E8 Runner of the Week in 2019, Stinson recording a blistering time of 22:53.1 at the Paul Short Invitational on Oct. 5. In addition, junior Jessica Ostrowski, an All-Empire 8 first team selection in 2018 will be counted on to duplicate that effort. Sarah Sharpe, Elizabeth Darling and Laura Levi can also give the Pioneers strong depth.
Hayley Cronin, the 2018 Empire 8 Champion and Rookie of the Year, along with junior Deirdre Brett, who finished third overall at last year’s championship and All-E8 second team selection Claire Baragbos are also set to lead
Nazareth at the 2019 league championship. The Golden Flyers, who finished third as a team last season, have competed in six events in 2019, with a third-place finish at the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 5. Erin Reyner, Megan Morin, Emily Weaver and Alexis Anagnostopulos are also expected to help the Golden Flyers in their quest for an E8 title.
Senior Shelby Langlois will look to lead
Houghton, who placed fourth as a team in 2018. Langlois, who finished fifth in last year’s championship, is enjoying a strong season for the Highlanders in 2019, recording a time of 23:12.3 at the Highlander Invitational on Oct. 5, while enjoying the second fastest time among all Empire 8 runners at the pre-regional meet a week later. Houghton, who has competed in five events this season, placed second overall at the Penn State Behrend Invitational on Sept. 13. Emily Blosdale, Rachel Domracki, Shannon Pigott, Gwen Stokes, Amanda Burrichter and Anna Hardiman will provide strong depth for the Highlanders.
St. John Fisher is looking to improve off a fifth-place finish in last year’s championship. The Cardinals have enjoyed tremendous success in 2019, including a win at the ESF Mighty Oak Invite, second place finish at the Highlander Invitational and 12th place result at the NCAA Pre-Regional on Oct. 12. Freshman Riley Corey has emerged as a top runner, having earned three Empire 8 Runner of the Week accolades. Corey won the ESF Mighty Oak Invite individual title and was the Empire 8’s top finisher at the pre-regional. Senior Gabriella Dunkelberg, an All-Empire 8 second team selection in 2019, will look to make an even greater impact this season. Taylor Kennard, Morgan Gould and Alivia Collins will also look to contribute.
Hartwick is coming off a sixth-place finish in last season’s championship. The Hawks have competed in six events this season, with a win at the Cazenovia College Invitational on Sept. 28 and a pair of runner-up finishes. Freshman Kaylee Amoriell was the individual winner at Cazenovia. Sophomores Taylor King, Eryn Thompson and seniors Tylisha Gourdine and Allison Brody will look to garner key points for the Hawks.
Sage is enjoying a strong 2019 season with four top-three finishes, including a team victory at the Stephen A. Warde Invitational, hosted by SUNY Cobleskill on Sept. 7. Sophomore Kerry Flower, a three-time Empire 8 Runner of the Week in 2019, was the individual champion at the Warde Invitational and Oneonta State Airfield Invitational a week later. Sophomore Kristin McAlonen, senior Amanda Jones and freshman Evelyn Gile will be counted on to contribute as well.
Elmira has recorded two runner-up finishes, two third place and a fourth-place finish in five of its six events this season. First-year standout Emma MacDowell has emerged as the Soaring Eagles top runner. Junior Claire Preisch, sophomore Ashley Naples, and fellow first-years Danielle Knapp and Mackenzie Becker will look to lead Elmira to a strong finish in 2019.
Alfred has competed in six events this season, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at their own Alfred University Invitational. Ashley Fancher, Morgan Brothers, Debra Fiscus, Sally Johnston and Mackenzie Grosskopf will look to earn valuable points for the Saxons, who looking to improve off of a ninth-place finish in last year’s championship.
The 2019 E8 championship schedule is below. For the most up to date information on this year's championship, follow the Empire 8 Conference on Twitter (@Empire8). Live results will be available at
www.leonetiming.com.
2019 Empire 8 Cross Country Championship Schedule
Saturday, November 2
Men’s Race – 11 a.m.
Women’s Race – 12 p.m.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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