Women finish season with Regional Meet

WAYNESBURG, Pa. –Allegheny’s women placed ninth of 44 squads with 291 points. Johns Hopkins was first, followed in order by Dickinson, Messiah, Elizabethtown, Grove City, Haverford, Swarthmore, Susquehanna and then Allegheny.

Mia Symoniak (East Snyder, N.Y./Amherst) earned All-Region honors as the Gators’ top finisher. She placed 26th in 23:32. Also, Katie Stancik (South Russell, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) was 44th in 24:03 and Rachel Hutchinson (Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin) claimed 48th in 24:07.

Claire LeMasters (Shadyside, Ohio/Saint John Central) finished 71st in 24:41, Annie Ginty (Valley City, Ohio/Our Lady of the Elms) ran to 102nd in 25:14, Amber Wetzel (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) placed 114th in 25:23 and Hallie Dilley (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) was 128th in 25:39. Ginty, a senior, participated in her final cross country event as a Gator.

The Gator women will not be eligible for Nationals. Only the top five teams in each region receive consideration from the selection committee.

“On the women’s side,” Ross said, “we’re disappointed that we didn’t in the top five. But, I told the team that if we finish in the top 10 this year, we will be in serious contention next year.

“We have every runner but one returning, so we can honestly say that we have a chance. That’s going to motivate us.”

Results

Women Finish 5th at NCAC's

LORAIN, Ohio -- The Allegheny College Lady Gators battled to claim a fifth-place finish after winning the team title a year ago.

The Gator women were led by Mia Symoniak (East Snyder, N.Y./Amherst), with the junior taking eighth-place in 22:43.2 on the 6K course. Katie Stancik (South Russell, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) added a 14th-place finish with her time of 23:06.1 while Rachel Hutchison (Mohnton, Pa./Governor Mifflin) contributed an 18th-place showing (23:17.5). Claire LeMasters (Shadyside, Ohio/Saint John Central) and Amber Wetzel (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny) rounded out the scoring five with 27th- and 36th-place finishes in 23:41.5 and 24:08.6, respectively.

With their efforts, three Gator women were named to the NCAC All-Conference teams.

Symoniak and Stancik earned second-team honors for the women while Hutchison captured an honorable-mention nod.

The Gators are next in action at the NCAA Mideast Regional on Nov. 15 at Waynesburg College, with the NCAA Championships taking place the following weekend, Nov. 22 at Hanover College in Hanover, Ind.

NCAC CHAMPS 5 years running for Men

LORAIN, Ohio -- The Allegheny College men's cross country team stretched its conference championship streak to five as they captured the 2008 North Coast Athletic Conference title.

The men's team had four runners place in the top 10, led by Zac Ross (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) and his second-place finish (25:09.9) in the 8K race. The spread among Allegheny's scoring unit was 32.1 seconds as Jeramie Parker (Middletown, Pa./Middletown) placed 13th with a time of 25:42.1. Matt Hoy (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) crossed the line in 25:15.4 to finish fourth while Tony Dipre (Twinsburg, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) and Jakeb Zimmerman (Leechburg, Pa./The Kiski School) added sixth- and ninth-place finishes in 25:24.9 and 25:35.8, respectively.

The men now own eight conference titles, the most of any members.

With their efforts, seven Gator men were named to the NCAC All-Conference teams.

Ross, Hoy and Dipre earned first-team accolades with their top-seven placements while Zimmerman, Parker and Ryan Sullivan (Homer, N.Y.) garnered second-team selections. Also earning all-conference honors were Devon Flynnperrault (Lafayette, Calif./Campolindo), as he finished 15th, and Pat McLaughlin (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) with his 20th place finish, to receive an honorable-mention nod.

The Gators are next in action at the NCAA Mideast Regional on Nov. 15 at Waynesburg College, with the NCAA Championships taking place the following weekend, Nov. 22 at Hanover College in Hanover, Ind.