PITTSFORD, NY – Houghton College won its first ever team title in any sport since joining in 2012, as the Highlanders emerged victorious at the 2019 Empire 8 Women’s Cross Country Championship at sun-soaked St. John Fisher’s South Course on Saturday. Houghton senior Shelby Langlois also won the individual title, finishing six seconds ahead of the field in a time of 23:14.2.
Houghton won the 2019 championship with a team score of 43 points, narrowly edging out runner-up St. John Fisher by two points. Nazareth College finished third with 70 points, while defending champion Utica College placed fourth with 80 points.
Langlois was locked in the lead group with Utica senior Kaitlyn Stinson and St. John Fisher freshman Riley Corey at the 4,000-meter mark. Langlois began to draw clear around the final 1,000 meters and finish six seconds ahead of Stinson. Corey would finish third in a time of 23:32.1. Senior Emily Blosdale placed fourth overall for the Highlanders (23:47.0), while Nazareth’s Deidre Brett finished fifth (24:12.4).
Houghton freshman Amanda Burrichter, seniors Gabriella Dunkelberg and Taylor Kennard of St. John Fisher, sophomore Erin Kennard of Nazareth and sophomore Kerry Flower of Sage rounded out the top-10. All 10 runners earn All-Empire 8 first team honors.
Houghton led in the team rankings before holding off a charge from the host Cardinals over the final 2,000-meters.
All teams will compete at the 2019 NCAA Atlantic Region Championship on Saturday, Nov. 16 from St. Lawrence University.
TEAM RESULTS
Houghton – 43
St. John Fisher – 45
Nazareth – 70
Utica – 80
Sage – 123
Hartwick – 190
Elmira – 202
Alfred – 220
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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