The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas claimed a 13th consecutive SCIAC Women’s Cross Country Championship behind a podium sweep led by individual champion Natalie Bitetti at Riverside City Cross Country Course.
Results
The three-time SCIAC Athlete of the Week was the only competitor to run under 22 minutes, breaking the mark by a wide margin in 21:33.9 for her second title in as many seasons. 2022 Newcomer of the Year Elle Marsyla was close behind for much of the race as runner-up, crossing in 22:00.2 followed by 2023 Track & Field Newcomer of the Year Riley Capuano just 11 seconds back and 29 clear of fourth place. Laura Zimmer led a tight pack of Athenas finishing sixth-eighth at 22:48.9, followed by Angela Gushue and Sarah Wexler.
The University of Redlands vaulted from fourth place at last year’s championship race to second for the first time since 2015. Chloe Bullock (22:55.5) and Eve Mavy (23:05.6) led the Bulldogs in ninth and 11th place, respectively.
Pomona-Pitzer Colleges edged out Occidental College by a mere two points for third place in a highly competitive middle of the field that saw just 15 points separate third from sixth. Mira Terdiman was the Sagehen’s top finisher, just nabbing the final First Team All-Conference place in 10th with a time of 23:01.0. Oxy’s Jenna LeNay was the top non-CMS finisher in the field in fourth place (22:30.0) while Chapman University’s Annika Carlson finished 11 seconds back in fifth.
Caltech edged out Chapman for fifth place with 110 points thanks to the tightest scoring range in the field, with the top four runners within eight places of one another. Gigi Pistilli was the Beavers’ top finisher in 16th (23:27.5), with two others grabbing All-Conference recognition. The University of La Verne placed seventh on 188 points with California Lutheran University rounding out the field at 247 points. Marissa Hehir earned All-Conference recognition with a 17th-place finish for the Leopards while Brooke Hougo paced the Regals in 63rd.
The NCAA West Regional also will be held at Riverside City Cross Country Course in two weeks on Saturday, Nov. 11, with the top teams and seven highest-placing individuals whose teams are not selected earning an automatic berth at the NCAA Championships.
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