Maine Athletes Competing at XC Nationals
Once again Hannah Steelman of Wofford qualified for the NCAA Championship via her fifth place finish in the Southeast regional. Steelman covered the 6k layout at Panorama Farms in 20:08, a 5:24 per mile pace. She ran with the leaders for the first 5k coming through in 16:51 just one second off eventual winner Elly Henes of NC State (19:48). A year ago Steelman competed in the NCAA Championship finishing in 76th place.
Stonehill senior Anna Lastra will be competing once again at National's for the fourth consecutive year as the Skyhawks once again qualified as a team. At the East region Lastra finished 7th overall and fourth on her team as she ran 22:45.8. A year ago Anna placed 64th at Nationals running 24:01.1 for 6k improving on her 2017 199th effort. She also finished 108th as a freshman at Nationals
Malia Cryan formerly of York High School will compete for Flagler College which was the second place team in the Southeast regionals. A junior Cryan finished 9th overall in 22:33.3, she was the second runner for the Saints.
Colby & Bates teams qualified for the men's race. Colby enters ranked #15 in the country after their second place finish at the New England regional race at Bowdoin last weekend. The Mules earned an automatic bid as a results. Bates is ranked 23rd nationally and has former Mt Blue standout Tucker Barber in the lineup.
Henry Jaques a junior at RPI will compete again, he finished 7th in the Atlantic regional last weekend running third for the Engineers who finished second as a team to earn an automatic bid. Last year Jaques finished 226th at nationals, he competed for Freeport in high school.
Former Winthrop standout Jacob Hickey of UNE will compete in his first NCAA Championship. Hickey punched his ticket via his 18th place finish in the New England regional. He covered the 8k course in 25:24.
On the women's side Bates qualified as a team, the bobcats enter as the championship ranked 19th in the country. Freshman Jillian Richardson from Edward Little was the top finisher for Bates at the New England regional, she finished 15th in 21:59. Former Yarmouth standout Abby Hamilton was the third runner for Bates last weekend placing 40th in 22:36.9. Hamilton placed 166th at nationals in 2018.
Senior Tessa Cassidy from Dickinson will compete for the fourth year in a row, a year ago she finished 178th at nationals. Her best finish was a 73rd place finish in 2017. Cassidy finished 9th at the Mideast regional running 21:53. Dickinson enters the meet ranked 4th in the country she competed for Brunswick in high school
Former Waynflete athlete Phoebe Colvin-Oehmig of Middlebury College finished 93rd in the New England regional last weekend, she was the seventh runner for the Panthers last weekend. Her team enters ranked 23rd in the county.
Trinty College senior Samantha Feenstra qualified for her first xc nationals via her 12th place finish at the New England regional race. Feenstra a former Cape Elizabeth standout ran 21:49.8 for the 6k race
Tufts sophomore Anna Slager with be competing for the 11th ranked Jumbos. Slager finished 46th (22:42.5) for 6k last weekend finishing as the third Tufts runner across the line. Anna ran for the Gorham Rams in high school.
Former Camden Hills standout Augusta Stockman a freshman now running for Vasser will compete. Vassar enters ranked 29th in the country, Stockman finished as the 4th runner for the Brewers running 23:52.9.
Washington and Lee freshman Carolyn Todd will run for the 18th ranked Generals. Todd a former Greely star finished 62nd at the South/Southeast regional where she was the 7th runner.
Rebecca Lopez-Anido & Emma Trapani of 31st ranked Wesleyan are in the big dance. They finished sixth in the very competitive New England regional. Lopez-Anido a former Orono Red Riot was 62nd at the regional, while Trapani a former Windjammmer from Camden Hills finished 66th.