WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
EAST REGION RANKINGS - WEEK #5 |
| Rank |
School |
Conference |
Last Week Ranking |
| 1 |
American International |
NE-10 |
2nd |
| 2 |
Stonehill |
NE-10 |
4th |
| 3 |
Southern New Hampshire |
NE-10 |
1st |
| 4 |
Roberts Wesleyan |
ECC |
5th |
| 5 |
Daemen |
ECC |
6th |
| 6 |
Assumption |
NE-10 |
7th |
| 7 |
St. Anselm |
NE-10 |
3rd |
| 8 |
Southern Connecticut St. |
NE-10 |
8th |
| 9 |
Jefferson |
CACC |
NR |
| 10 |
Le Moyne |
NE-10 |
9th |
AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College women's cross country team is ranked fifth in the latest NCAA Division II East Region poll released yesterday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).Â
Despite being idle this past weekend, the Wildcats move up one spot in the poll Daemen made its return to the poll last week, debuting at No. 6 - the team's first regional ranking since the final week of the 2017 season. The East Region is comprised of teams from the East Coast Conference, Northeast-10 Conference and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.Â
Daemen has run to three race victories in four starts this season. The Wildcats topped small fields of competing teams at both the Frank Dillon Memorial Invitational and Daemen Duels to start the season. Following a fifth-place finish at the Harry F. Anderson Invitational, the Wildcats picked up their most impressive win of the season at the Paul Short Run hosted by Lehigh on October 1.
Billed as one of the premier cross country meets in the nation, the Paul Short Run featured 12 different races and nearly 4,000 competing runners. The Wildcats competed in the Women's College White Race, the last of three women's collegiate races on the schedule, and one that included teams from both the Division II and III ranks. Paced by three top-25 finishers, Daemen totaled 121 points in the race's team standings, beating runner-up Susquehanna by 37 points.Â
The Wildcats have been led this season by redshirt senior Kassandra Nolet (Fort Erie, Ont.) and freshman Marcy Colca (Getzville, N.Y.), both of whom earned top-10 finishes at the Paul Short Run. Colca opened the season by winning the Frank Dillon Memorial Invitational, and Nolet followed with her own medalist claim at the Daemen Duels. Junior Courtney Merrill (Speedway, Ind.) and senior Sarah Golas (Alden, N.Y.) have also been key contributors as they've placed among Daemen's scorers in all four meets.Â
Daemen is one of two East Coast Conference teams included in this week's poll. They join rival Roberts Wesleyan who sits just ahead at No. 4. The Wildcats and Redhawks will duke it out just 10 days from now at the ECC Championships (Saturday, October 23 at Roberts Wesleyan).Â
The poll is once again dominated by Northeast-10 Conference teams which account for seven of the 10 ranked positions, although American International claims the No. 1 ranking this week. Southern New Hampshire, which had been atop the poll dating back to the preseason, dropped to third this week. Stonehill moved up to second this week.Â
The Wildcats are back in action this Saturday, October 16 at the Canisius Alumni Classic in Buffalo's Delaware Park.Â
Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 18 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.
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Follow the Daemen College women's cross country program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenXC_TRACK, and on Facebook at @DaemenXCTF.
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