Women's Cross Country | 11/2/2024 12:59:37 PM
HOUGHTON, NY – Nationally-ranked SUNY Geneseo swept the top five scoring spots to earn its first Empire 8 Cross Country title in its first season as a league member, as the Knights won the 2024 Empire 8 Women’s Cross Country Championship at Field of Dreams Park hosted by Houghton University on Saturday, Nov. 2. SUNY Geneseo Penelope Greene won the individual title, finishing 13 seconds ahead of the field over the 6,000-meter course in a time of 21:26.1. Greene’s winning time was the fastest 6,000-meter E8 Championship race time in league history since that distance was adopted in 2017.
The Knights, ranked seventh in the most recent United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III poll had the top five finishers and eight of 10 overall to earn a perfect team score of 15 points. The Knights have now won 13 straight league titles (12 SUNYAC, 1 Empire 8). Defending champion Nazareth University earned runner-up honors with 82 points, while Utica University finished third with 89 points and St. John Fisher University placed fourth with 98 points. SUNY Brockport, Houghton University, Hartwick College, Alfred University and Keuka College rounded out the team scoring.
Greene, who was the 2023 NCAA Atlantic Region Champion led a strong Geneseo contingent from the start. She expanded her lead around the 4,000-meter mark and finished 13 seconds ahead of teammate Lilly Fowler-Conner, who recorded a time of 21:39.1. Ann Brennan finished five-tenths of a second ahead of teammate Gabriella McCarthy for third with a time of 22:07.3, while Jillian O’Rourke completed the team sweep for the Knights, crossing the finish line in a time of 22:20.3.
Noelle Linenfelser of Houghton, the 2022 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and 2023 Empire 8 Champion, placed sixth overall in a time of 22:26.2, just ahead of Mia Vizcaino who finished seventh in 22:26.4. Sierra Doody and Ari Reback of Geneseo placed eighth and ninth overall to earn All-E8 first team accolades.
The All-Conference selections will be announced by the league in November. Runners who finished first through ninth will be All-E8 first team selections, while runners who finished 10-18 are second team selections and the 19th-27th place finishers will be third team selections.
Runners will be action at 11 a.m. on November 16 at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships from Fredonia State University
2024 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Championship Results
SUNY Geneseo – 15 Points (Team Champion)
Nazareth – 82
Utica – 89
St. John Fisher – 98
SUNY Brockport – 106
Houghton – 138
Hartwick – 226
Alfred – 232
Keuka – 285
SUNY Poly and Russell Sage no team score
2024 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Individual Champion/Most Outstanding Runner
Penelope Greene, Sr., SUNY Geneseo - 21:26.1 (Meet Record)
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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
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