2009 Women's Cross Country Season Outlook

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The Williams women’s cross country team will be running in pursuit of a conference and New England III title and gunning to extend their perfect streak of NCAA Championships appearances to 17 this fall in Pete Farwell’s 10th year as head coach.

The 2009 Eph team will need to overcome the loss of graduated All-American Lauren Philbrook and NCAA participants Robin Kuntz, Rachel Asher and Gillian Tedeschi. The first three earned regional all-conference honors last fall, while Tedeschi placed 16th in NESCACs. 

The 2008 Ephs tied for the NESCAC title, won the Little Three and captured a second consecutive ECAC title. Williams closed out the season with a runner-up regional placing and a podium third place at the NCAA Championships.

Three of Farwell’s top returnees ran in last year’s NCAA Championships race and earned All-Region honors: junior Meghan Shea and seniors Bret Scofield and Elly Teitsworth and this trio is expected to form the nucleus of the Eph top seven this fall.

Shea was the third Eph to finish at last year’s NCAAs coming in 73rd in a field of 279 harriers in a 6K PR of 22:12. Shea missed the 2007 season due to injury, but earned 2008 Second Team All-NESCAC honors with a 13th place at the NESCAC championship race and followed that up with an 18th at the NCAA New England Qualifier.

Scofield was the fourth Eph to finish at the NCAAs, placing 79th overall with a time of 22:16. She added a 15th place (second Eph) finish at the NCAA New England Qualifier to earn All-Region laurels along with her all-conference 8th place. Scofield will serve as a co-captain of the Eph squad this season.

Elly Teitsworth '10

Teitsworth annually starts off the season slowly but progresses each week and finishes strong. She employed the same approach at the NCAA New England Qualifier race, passing some 100 runners to finish 31st and claim All-Region honors. Teitsworth followed that effort up the next week and won the ECAC Championship race. She was the crucial fifth Eph finisher at the NCAA Championships crossing the line in 22:42.

“We’re excited to have such a talented and experienced trio to build our racing pack around: each has also posted NCAA qualifying marks in track, bringing speed to go with endurance, the perfect combination for x-country success,” points out coach Farwell.

An additional group of veteran competitors will be in position to fill out the top seven and form a nationally competitive team: senior co-captain Jessica Clarke ran most of last fall in the top seven, posting a 32nd place finish at the NCAA New England Qualifier to claim All-Region recognition and also finished 23rd at the NESCAC Championships. Classmate Moira Yoe was a member of the Eph “Second Seven” that captured its second straight ECAC title; she finished fourth overall (second Eph). Jane Manfred will bring experience and leadership to the squad as a senior co-captain.

Two seniors spent last fall doing junior year abroad semesters in Spain: Olga Kondratjeva is a track All-American in the 1500 meters and was the Ephs top finisher in the 2007 NCAA cross country championship. “Her return to the team and lineup will be most welcome,” exults Coach Farwell.  Ariel Williams has put together great track results in the 800 and 1500-meter events, and is working to parlay that into her best cross country season ever.

Tina Meade '11

Juniors Tina Meade and Sara Weber will also be contributing following successful 2008 campaigns. Meade peaked with a seventh place finish at the ECAC Championships, with Weber close behind in 10th.  Classmate Kathleen Durante was the alternate for that meet, and improved during track in the 5k to set herself up for a strong upcoming cross country season. Ceci Davis-Hayes ’11 has returned to good health and form after a year lost to injury and could be in the mix.

Sophomore Mary Brunelli finished an impressive 7th in the NESCAC Championship race last fall to earn first team All-NESCAC and Rookie of the Year honors, but a late-season injury kept her out of the NCAA meets.  Olivia Delia ’12, came off injury for an impressive outdoor track campaign in the 1500 meters, and could be a factor with the harriers this fall.  Lauren Goldstein-Kral is in great shape from her summer of triathloning and will be very competitive later in the season. 

Moira Yoe '10

“Few teams if any in Division III have the depth we do, and all these runners would make top seven varsity almost everywhere,” comments coach Farwell. “With our pack training and racing philosophy we can count on any of these talented and dedicated women to score for us.”

There are several incoming first year athletes with good high school credentials who could join the top pack. These include Jennifer Gossels (Lexington, MA), Celeste Berg (Sebastopol, CA) and Annie Dear (Olympia, WA).

NESCAC is perennially the top conference in Division III for women’s cross country. Middlebury is defending national champion, and Amherst and Colby are top teams each year, with Tufts also bringing great individual talents to the mix. Williams is ready to compete with any of them, plus MIT, which is one of the top squads in New England. Each year Williams peaks well for the regional and national meets, and with a tight pack of high placers can contend for one of the higher places at the 2009 NCAA meet.

According to the preseason polls released by the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) the Ephs rank 6th nationally with Middlebury and Calvin ranked in a tie for first. The Ephs and Poanthers are the only NESCAC teams ranked in the top ten.

In the New England region the USTFCCA has six NESCAC teams ranked in the top top:  Middlebury (1), Williams (2), Colby (4), Tufts (5), Bates (6), and Amherst (8).