Women's Cross Country | 11/1/2025 3:48:40 PM
PITTSFORD, NY – Nationally-ranked SUNY Geneseo swept the top three scoring spots to earn its second straight Empire 8 Cross Country title, as the Knights won the 2025 Empire 8 Women’s Cross Country Championship at Murphy Cross Country Course, hosted by St. John Fisher University on Saturday, Nov. 1. SUNY Geneseo senior Ann Brennan won the individual title, finishing 21 seconds ahead of the field over the 6,000-meter course in a time of 22:22.7.
The Knights, ranked 15th in the most recent United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III poll had the top three finishers and six of 10 overall to earn a team score of 22 points. The Knights have now won 14 straight league titles (12 SUNYAC, 2 Empire 8). Houghton University earned runner-up honors with 69 points, while SUNY Brockport finished third with 83 points and Nazareth University placed fourth with 94 points. Utica University, host St. John Fisher University, Hartwick College, Alfred University and Keuka College rounded out the team scoring.
Brennan, who was third at the 2024 E8 Championships and sixth at the 2024 NCAA Niagara Region Championships, used a tremendous late brush to rally from third at the 4,000-meter mark and finished just under 21 seconds ahead of teammate Ari Reback, who rallied sixth at the 4,000-meters and recorded a time of 22:43.5. Sierra Doody was third in a time of 22:46.3.
Noelle Linenfelser of Houghton, the 2022 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and 2023 Empire 8 Champion, placed fourth overall in a time of 22:47.4, eight seconds ahead of teammate Marlo Townsend, who finished fifth in 22:55.7. Ella Impaglia of Nazareth was sixth, Annika Hurley of Geneseo, Salma Moulmen of Brockport and Jillian O’Rourke of Geneseo all earned 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 12 p.m. on November 15 at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships from Genesee Valley Park in Rochester, NY, hosted by the University of Rochester
2025 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Championship Results
SUNY Geneseo – 22 Points (Team Champion)
Houghton – 69
SUNY Brockport – 83
Nazareth – 94
Utica – 137
St. John Fisher – 143
Hartwick – 214
Alfred – 224
Keuka – 294
SUNY Poly and Russell Sage no team score
2025 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Individual Champion/Most Outstanding Runner
Ann Brennan, Sr., SUNY Geneseo – 22:22.7
2025 Empire 8 Women's Cross Country Torchbearer Award Winner
Emberlynn Nolt, Jr., Houghton – 4.0 GPA