CMS Women's Cross Country Dominates the Field at NCAA Pre-Nationals

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's cross country team had four of the top ten finishers as it earned a dominant win at the NCAA Division III Pre-Nationals, held at E.P "Tom" Sawyer State Park.

The race was held at the same site where the NCAA Division III Championships will be held in November, and the Athenas had a statement performance that they will be one of the teams to watch, earning 43 points, well ahead of second-place Wisconsin-La Crosse with 70, while Calvin was a distant third with 153. Emory (170 points) and MIT (172 points) rounded out the top five. 

Natalie Bitetti was the top individual finisher for CMS, coming in third place with a time of 22:00.9, while Riley Harmon finished in fourth with a time of 22:10.6. Joining them in the top 10 were Meredith Bloss in seventh place with a time of 22:21.0, and Emily Clarke in ninth in 22:25.2. 

Sophie Gitlin sealed the win for CMS as the fifth scorer, coming in 22nd place in 22:52.3 to give the Athenas 43 points total as a team. CMS showed off its depth as well with three other runners placing high, as Mallorie Jenne was 33rd in 23:13.7, Brooklyn Button was 38th in 23:23.3, and Angela Gushue was 60th in 23:47.9, out of a field of 277 runners. 

CMS, which is ranked No. 4 in the nation, will be back in action on Saturday in Claremont when it participates in the annual Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.