Jones leads the way, as women's cross country finishes eighth at 2016 NCAA Regional

By: Joe Venniro - Executive Director of Sports Information

Women's Cross Country | 11/12/2016 12:51:00 PM

SEWELL, NJ – Led by senior Emma Jones (Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta), the RIT women's cross country team finished eighth out of 43 teams at the 2016 NCAA Atlantic Region Championship hosted by Rowan University on Saturday. RIT finished with a team score of 265 points, while SUNY Geneseo won the title with 90 points.

Geneseo defeated SUNY Oneonta, who finished with 112 team points. Those two teams automatically qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19 at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, KY. Sixteen other at-large bids will be awarded from the nation's eight total regions.

Amy Regan of Stevens was the individual winner, completing the 6,000-meter course in a time of 20:05.1, defeating Taryn Cordani of Ithaca by nearly 20 seconds.

Jones was brilliant, finishing eighth overall out of 303 runners in a time of 21:10.5, just missing her own school record of 21:09.8, which she set on this course last month. With the eighth place finish, Jones earned All-Region honors and qualified for next weekend's NCAA Championship for the third straight season. It is the second best finish ever by a RIT runner at the regional championship, as Jones was sixth in the same race last season.

Jones was fourth after the first split at 552 meters, fourth at the 2-meter, and ninth at the 3.7 meter, before placing eighth.

Sophomore Becca Schwan (LeRoy, NY/LeRoy) joined Jones as an All-Region selection, earning a strong 35th place finish, completing the course in a time of 22:03.1, setting a personal best by 24 seconds.

Jennifer Crossen (Bason, NY/Oakfield-Alabama) was RIT's third best finisher, placing 62nd overall in a personal best time of 22:38. Martine Bosch (Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell) placed 79th overall in 22:49.6, while Keira Higgins (Schenevus, NY/Milford) rounded out RIT's top five, finishing 81st in 22:52.0. Nicole Mackey (South New Berlin, NY/Unadilla Valley) (23:09.9) was 101st overall, while Jeriann Beiter (Lima, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima) (24:05.8) placed 156th.

"For us to lose four of our top six runners from a team that qualified for the NCAA Championship last season and still finish eighth in the most competitive region in Division III speaks volumes about this program," said RIT head coach Dave Stevens. "I'm very proud of our women. From top to bottom, it was a great effort today."

The top seven individual finishers from each region not on one of the team qualifiers will also earn an invitation to the national championships. The NCAA will announce the field for the NCAA Championship on Sunday afternoon.

"I'm confident that Emma will represent our region well at the NCAA Championship next weekend," said Stevens.