Saturday, November 8
Mansfield, PA
Millersville University
vs
PSAC Championships
Cross Country Gears Up for PSAC Championship
11/4/2014 10:14:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Millersville, Pa. - After two weeks without an event, the Millersville women's cross country team is set for the 2014 PSAC Championship on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Mansfield, Pa. This event has only been hosted by Mansfield once and that was all the way back in 1977.
This season the Marauders have earned a pair of top-10 finishes and those came in the 4K portion of the Dickinson Long/Short Invitational (8th/40) and Lock Haven's Go Fast River Run (8th/19). Millersville has been running with a much smaller roster and because of that, each runner needs to perform at the highest level for this team to be competitive on Saturday.
"We do need every single woman to really hit on all cylindars because we're not a big team," said ninth year head coach, Andy Young. "They all have to be there mentally, and they all have to be on their best physically that day."
Much like 2013, Millersville has been paced by Shannon Cruz who has competed in all but one race as a sophomore. In 2014, the Lancaster, Pa. native has finished in the top five for three of her five races and taken home a top-15 finish in the other two. Cruz is no stranger to success on this stage, as she earned All-PSAC honors a year ago when she placed 18th at the PSAC Championship with a time of 23:04.9 and was named All-PSAC for finishing in the top 20. The Lancaster Catholic product has learned quite a bit since, and her development as a runner is apparent.
"This year, I feel like I'm a stronger runner, I'm more confident and I know more about running in college," said Cruz. "Last year, I feel like I just went out and raced. This year I want to be good."
The sophomore proved she could be good last season as she cruised to a 16th-place finish at the NCAA Atlantic Regional to earn All-Region honors and did so with a time of 21:30.9, which is the third-best 6K time in program history.
The team's second-best runner has been fellow sophomore, Abigail Daley. Daley has crossed the finish line in the top 35 three times this season including a fourth-place finish in the Millersville and F&M Alumni Open 5K and was the first Marauder to finish in the one race Cruz didn't compete in (Gettysburg). Those two will be relied upon heavily to lead this squad in the conference championship.
Last season, Mansfield captured its first PSAC Women's Cross Country Championship and was led by three top-10 finishes. Only two of the top 10 runners from last year's championship race return this season, including IUP's Rachel Magliane, who finished fourth with a time of 22:19.4 and Edinboro's Kasey Jones who posted a time of 22:34.5 to earn All-PSAC honors and a ninth place finish.
Prior to the Mansfield title a year ago, Shippensburg notched five straight PSAC championships. Last year's third place team is led by returning sophomores Casey Norton and Allison Marella, who finished 16th and 23rd, respectively. Bloomsburg captured the 2014 ECAC Division II Championship just a week ago at Lamb's Creek Course, led by senior Lauren Lehman. Lehman covered the 6,000 meters in a course record-setting 21:26 to claim the individual title.
The women's race is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. at Mansfield's Lamb Creek course.
This season the Marauders have earned a pair of top-10 finishes and those came in the 4K portion of the Dickinson Long/Short Invitational (8th/40) and Lock Haven's Go Fast River Run (8th/19). Millersville has been running with a much smaller roster and because of that, each runner needs to perform at the highest level for this team to be competitive on Saturday.
"We do need every single woman to really hit on all cylindars because we're not a big team," said ninth year head coach, Andy Young. "They all have to be there mentally, and they all have to be on their best physically that day."
Much like 2013, Millersville has been paced by Shannon Cruz who has competed in all but one race as a sophomore. In 2014, the Lancaster, Pa. native has finished in the top five for three of her five races and taken home a top-15 finish in the other two. Cruz is no stranger to success on this stage, as she earned All-PSAC honors a year ago when she placed 18th at the PSAC Championship with a time of 23:04.9 and was named All-PSAC for finishing in the top 20. The Lancaster Catholic product has learned quite a bit since, and her development as a runner is apparent.
"This year, I feel like I'm a stronger runner, I'm more confident and I know more about running in college," said Cruz. "Last year, I feel like I just went out and raced. This year I want to be good."
The sophomore proved she could be good last season as she cruised to a 16th-place finish at the NCAA Atlantic Regional to earn All-Region honors and did so with a time of 21:30.9, which is the third-best 6K time in program history.
The team's second-best runner has been fellow sophomore, Abigail Daley. Daley has crossed the finish line in the top 35 three times this season including a fourth-place finish in the Millersville and F&M Alumni Open 5K and was the first Marauder to finish in the one race Cruz didn't compete in (Gettysburg). Those two will be relied upon heavily to lead this squad in the conference championship.
Last season, Mansfield captured its first PSAC Women's Cross Country Championship and was led by three top-10 finishes. Only two of the top 10 runners from last year's championship race return this season, including IUP's Rachel Magliane, who finished fourth with a time of 22:19.4 and Edinboro's Kasey Jones who posted a time of 22:34.5 to earn All-PSAC honors and a ninth place finish.
Prior to the Mansfield title a year ago, Shippensburg notched five straight PSAC championships. Last year's third place team is led by returning sophomores Casey Norton and Allison Marella, who finished 16th and 23rd, respectively. Bloomsburg captured the 2014 ECAC Division II Championship just a week ago at Lamb's Creek Course, led by senior Lauren Lehman. Lehman covered the 6,000 meters in a course record-setting 21:26 to claim the individual title.
The women's race is set to begin at 12:30 p.m. at Mansfield's Lamb Creek course.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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