Women’s Cross Country Earns Second NCAA Championship Berth in School History after Third-Place Regionals Finish

Links: Results

BETHPAGE, N.Y. – The Merrimack College women's cross country team is headed back to the national championship meet after placing third at the 2018 NCAA Division II East Regional Championship on Saturday at Bethpage State Park on Long Island. The Warriors will return to nationals for the second time ever and first time in five years after last qualifying in 2013.

Junior Katherine Ferrara was the top finisher for the Warrior women, earning a podium spot and all-region accolades with a third-place finish. She was one of three Merrimack runners in the top-20 of the individual leader board.

The Basics
Results: 3^rd/27
Top Finisher: Katherine Ferrara (3^rd – 22:26.00)
Location: Bethpage State Park / Bethpage, N.Y.

What They Said:
Head coach Chris Cameron: "Obviously today was a phenomenal experience. This group has worked so hard since May, they knew they wanted to reach the national championship meet and they went out and got it. We coaches are so proud and can't wait to see them compete at the national championship meet in two weeks."

How It Happened:

• With the team running on a 6K course for the second straight race, Merrimack came up big when it mattered most, earning an automatic qualification to the national championship race thanks to its third-place performance as a team on Saturday. Like they were two weekends ago at the Northeast-10 Conference Championship, Merrimack was the second-best NE10 squad at the meet, trailing only Stonehill and East Coast Conference (ECC) school Roberts Wesleyan.
• Ferrara led all Warrior women for the fifth race this year and earned her second straight all-region designation thanks to her third-place showing. She posted a final time of 22:26.00 to lead the Merrimack pack and averaged just over a six-minute mile.
• Senior Tia Foglietta was a top-15 finisher thanks to her 11^th-place performance. Foglietta, who will also earn all-region accolades – the first such honor of her career – finished in 22:43.70, averaging a 6:06 mile.
• Senior captain Sophie Gorton rounded out Merrimack's top-three individual finishers as the third to finish inside the top-20 with a 20^th-place effort. The all-region performance is the first of her career as well, as she averaged 6:14 per mile and posted a final time of 23:15.60.
• Sophomore Julia Dempsey was the fourth-fastest Warrior, crossing in 31^st place with a time of 23:43.90 while averaging 6:22 per mile. Rookie Sarah Tierney rounded out the top-five who contributed to Merrimack's team score, placing 46^th in 24:26.90 while averaging just over 6-1/2 minutes each mile.
• Senior Jackie Coscia (24:27.60) and sophomore Kate Fisher (24:38.30) placed 47^th and 56^th, respectively, account for Merrimack's final two runners.
• Merrimack has now finished in third place or better at six out of seven races this season.

Up Next
Merrimack will make its second appearance at nationals when it runs in the 2018 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships Festival at the Bob O'Connor Golf Course at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Dec. 1. The women's 6,000-meter race will be held at approximately 12:15 p.m.