Women's Cross Country Tabbed 15th Nationally in Division III Preseason Poll

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's cross country team was picked to finish 15th nationally and first in the West Region in a preseason poll which was released today by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

The Athenas are coming off a season which saw them capture the SCIAC Championship and finish in first place at the NCAA West Regionals. CMS also came in 12th place at the Division III Championships, led by a runner-up finish from graduated senior Bryn McKillop. Roselyn Cantu also graduated after finishing second on the Athenas at nationals last year, as did All-SCIAC performer Kyleigh Mann, but this year's squad has several quality returners who could help the team match or exceed last season's performance. 

"We lose four of our top seven runners so we are semi-rebuilding," said Head Coach John Goldhammer. "But we are fortunate to return several good athletes, and we have a pretty good freshman class."

Abigale Johnson (SC '21) was second on CMS and ninth overall at the NCAA West Regionals last year, and was the top freshman at the SCIAC Championships, where she came in eighth. Malea Martin (CMC '19) led all returners at the nationals last year, coming in third on the team behind McKillop and Cantu, and was a first-team All-SCIAC selection. 

The Athenas also had two freshmen who stepped into the lineup last year and earned second-team All-SCIAC honors. Dulcie Jones (SC '21) and Olivia Gleason (SC '21) will both look to build on that experience and become regulars in the top seven this fall. Jones was part of the CMS seven that competed at the regionals and nationals, while Gleason will be a strong candidate to be in that group as well. 

CMS will also have some strong depth, as Matilda Msall (SC '19) came in 13th overall at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational last year to show her potential. Morgan Blevins (HMC '19) and Georgia Scherer (CMC '20) were also in the top 30 at the event as well. Delaney Hartmann (SC '21), meanwhile, earned a top 50 finish early in the year at the Riverside Invitational. 

The Athenas open their 2018 season this weekend at the Nationball Classic in Santa Barbara, and will compete every Saturday for seven straight weeks before a two-week break prior to the SCIAC Championships on Saturday, Oct. 27. 

"My expectation would be that we'll end up right around where we were last year at nationals," said Goldhammer. "It'll be largely a new group, and a different bunch of faces, but if we've done the work in the summertime, we should be looking at trying to finish first in the SCIAC and in the top 20 at nationals. That should be the goal."