Shorthanded CMS Women's Cross Country Takes 12th at Cougar Challenge

SAN MARCOS, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's cross country team, which competed without the runners who will be attending the Paul Short Run in Pennsylvania on Friday, ended up with a 12th place finish at the Cougar Challenge, hosted by CSU San Marcos on Saturday.

The Athenas were competing with Natalie Bitetti, who has won the SCIAC Athlete of the Week honor after both of her races this season, and Meredith Bloss, the reigning SCIAC Athlete of the Year. In fact, CMS opened the year with a 1-2-3-4-5 finish at the Redlands Invitational, and all five of those runners did not make the trip to San Marcos (Bitetti, Bloss, Laura Zimmer, Angie Gushue and Elle Marsyla). 

Hannah Weaver gave a strong showing to lead the Athenas contingent in San Marcos, earning a top-50 (49th) out of 187 runners, with a 22:57.9. Jenna Milbrodt was close behind in the 53rd with a 23:05.9, and Lily Ryan scored for the Athenas in third with a 23:26.8, which placed 75th. 

The fourth and fifth scorers for CMS crossed the line just about simultaneously to break the top 100, as Kaya Hano was 98th with a 24:08.5, and Emily Kendrick was 99th with a 24:08.8, three-tenths of a second behind. 

After the CMS contingent returns from the Paul Short Run this week, the full team will be back in action at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Oct. 8.