CMC75 Moments: 2019 Women's XC Sweeps Decade with 10th Straight SCIAC Title
As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moments, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.
Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
2019 Women's Cross Country Takes 10th Straight Title
The 2019 Women's Cross Country team was technically the underdog on paper heading into the SCIAC Championships, ranking three spots behind Pomona-Pitzer in the national polls. However, the Athenas had established a championship pedigree, with 28 SCIAC Championships to their credit, including a streak of nine in a row from 2010-18, and had developed a depth of quality runners which made it difficult to beat in postseason races.
During that nine-year run of team titles, Bryn McKillop (2017) was the only individual SCIAC champion that CMS had, and indeed the same thing happened in the 2019 meet, as Pomona-Pitzer finished 1-2 before sophomore Riley Harmon crossed the line in third for the Athenas in 21:56.1. After three other runners crossed, the CMS depth shone through, as the Athenas had five straight finishers cross between 7th and 11th place, effectively ending any doubt as to who the team champion would be as CMS took home SCIAC title No. 29 in convincing fashion.
Junior Olivia Gleason (seventh), junior Abigail Johnson (eighth), sophomore Brooklyn Button (ninth), and junior Dulcie Jones (tenth) finished off the top five scorers for CMS and each earned first-team All-SCIAC honors by crossing the line in the top 10. Sophomore Sophie Gitlin was 11th to earn the first spot on the All-SCIAC second team, where she was joined by first-year Isabella Brusco (13th), senior Georgia Scherer (14th), sophomore Emily Clarke (18th) and senior Gabriella Kimmerly (20th), as CMS had half of the All-SCIAC winners in all (10 of 20).
One week later, the Athenas would add an NCAA West Regional Championship, their fourth in a row in that race, and qualify for national as a team for the 12th year in a row. Riley Harmon earned All-America honors at nationals, becoming the 16th CMS Women's Cross Country runner to earn that distinction.
Riley Harmon:
It was our tenth in a row, so it was very exciting. Going in, we knew it meant a lot to all of us. After I finished, I didn't know where everybody was behind me, and then I turned around and see just tons of Athenas rolling in, and that was incredibly special to watch. I'm very proud of how everybody did, I think everybody ran just as well as they could have.
Dulcie Jones:
The streak is a motivator for sure, but trying to continue winning SCIAC titles isn't everything. Just being able to compete with my teammates and watch both myself and my teammates improve and become stronger, more confident runners is the main thing that gets me to 6 a.m. practice. Having such a deep squad has always set us apart from a lot of the teams we compete against. Having runners spread out all the way from the front of the pack to the back is how you win meets. Knowing that I'm always surrounded by Athenas when I'm competing is so reassuring and confidence-boosting.
2019 Women's Cross Country Roster
Head Coach: John Goldhammer
Assistant Coaches: Collin Christensen, Megumi Abe
Isabelle Antolin (So., Scripps)
Samantha Baker (Jr., Scripps)
Isabella Bruscon (Fy., Scripps)
Brooklyn Button (So., CMC)
Emily Clarke (So., Scripps)
Natasha Crepeau (Jr., HMC)
Anne Elliot (So., HMC)
Laura Fleming (Sr., HMC)
Miranda Foster (Sr., Scripps)
Sophie Gitlin (So., CMC)
Olivia Gleason (Jr., Scripps)
Sarah Halvorsen (Jr., HMC)
Riley Harmon (So., Scripps)
Delaney Hartmann (Jr., Scripps)
Mallorie Jenne (Fy, HMC)
Abigail Johnson (Jr., Scripps)
Dulcie Jones (Jr., Scripps)
Anika Kimme (Fy., CMC)
Gabriella Kimmerly (Sr., Scripps)
Alexandra Lambros (Sr., Scripps)
Sophia Liles (Jr., Scripps)
Carson McVay (Fy., Scripps)
Jackie McVay (Jr., Scripps)
Serena Myjer (So., CMC)
Tiffany Pham (Fy., Scripps)
Georgia Scherer (Sr., CMC)
Hannah Stuart (Fy., CMC)
Chloe Taylor (So., HMC)
Jessica Torrey (Jr., CMC)
Angie Wang (Fy., CMC)
Olina Wong (Fy., CMC)