Berea Women's Cross Country are USCAA National Runner-Ups

Berea Women's Cross Country are USCAA National Runner-Ups

Virginia Beach, VA- The Berea College women's cross country team traveled to Virginia Beach last week to finish off the season competing in the 2016 USCAA National Championships.  The Championships started on Thursday eveing with the USCAA Fall Sports Banquet.  Brena Griffin, Jenna Hughes and Meghan Kramer were all named to the USCAA Women's National All-Academic Team.  Coach Jakubowski was also named as the USCAA National Women's Coach of the Year.

Berea came into this meet as the defending USCAA National Champions.  The Mountaineers competed against 22 other teams to finish in 2nd place, as USCAA National Championship Runner Ups. Berea scored 69 points and just fell 10 points short of team champion Cleary (59). Finishing 3rd was Albany College of Pharmacy and Health scoring 119. The women competed well on a tough 6k course with all runners placing in the top 50 out of a total of over 150 competitors. The Mountaineers posted a team 6K average of 24:18.

The Mountaineers were led by sophomore Dove DeNigris who placed 8th and earned second team All-American with a time of 23:57. The second Mountaineer to cross the line was freshman Jamie Welch finishing in 10th place, also earning second team All-American, with a time of 24:00. The next three mountaineers finished consecutively after each other with freshman Ivanna Sabino finishing in 17th place with a time of 24:28, senior Gabriella Sabino finishing in 18th place with a time of 24:33, and junior Erin Gonterman finishing in 19th place with a time of 24:34.

Other finishers for the Berea Women include sophomore Jenna Hughes placing 35th with a time of 25:26, freshman Hayley Clark 39th place (25:30), senior Megan Hale 40th (25:40), senior Sydney Kyker 45th (25:58), and freshman Delaney Williams 46th (26:01).

"I thought the women ran a great race and I am very proud of the effort they gave, we packed up great and I thought we navigated the course very well," said head coach Shawn Jakubowski.  "As we close the 2016 season we must say goodbye to seven very talented hardworking student-athletes and the entire coaching staff would like to thank them all for their commitment and hard work over the years."

As the Mountaineers close the 2016-17 season they say goodbye to seven outstanding student-athletes:  Gabriella Sabino, Megan Hale, Sydney Kyker, Olamide Adejumo, Courtney Flege, Jillian Kendall and Esther Omolola