Women's Cross Country Readies for 2023 PSAC Championships on Saturday at Bloomsburg
Interview with Coach Leak Previewing the Championships
Championship Central
BLOOMSBURG, Pa.- The West Chester University women's cross country team is finalizing its preparations for the 2023 edition of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Cross Country Championships on the Upper Campus Cross Country Course at Bloomsburg University.
The women's race will start the day at 10 a.m., followed by the men's race at approximately 11 a.m. Due to the anticipated traffic on Saturday morning, fans are asked to park in the parking lot by the Jessica Kozloff Apartments upon arrival. Fans who are unable to make the trip to Bloomsburg on Saturday can view live results of the races here and a live stream here. As it has been in years prior, the top 15 runners on Saturday will be awarded First Team All-Conference status, while the next 15 will earn Second Team All-Conference recognition.
A season ago, West Chester placed 11th at the Conference Championships in Mansfield, led by a seventh-place finish from Bella Marchini (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford). Josey George (Oxford, Ga./Walnut Grove) is the top returner for the Golden Rams, finishing 78th a year ago with a time of 25 minutes and 25.7 seconds.
In the preseason coaches poll released before the 2023 season, West Chester was picked to finish 13th in the 2023 edition of the PSAC Championships.
West Chester heads into the Championships after a strong 2023 season, including a second-place finish at the NJIT Highlander Challenge earlier in October in what was the Golden Rams final meet ahead of the PSAC Championships. George also led the Golden Rams on this day, finishing 14th with a time of 19:35.92, traversing the course in difficult, rainy conditions a few weeks ago.
Conditions may be similar on Saturday as a rain system is expected to move into the area Friday evening into Saturday; however, the Golden Rams have quite a bit of experience managing this, having run in these conditions twice already this season.
In addition to George, West Chester can look to its captains Allison Myers (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) and Alexandra Amin (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing), who finished 14th and 19th with times of 19:39.39 and 19:46.93 at the Highlander Challenge a few weeks ago to provide important depth at the Conference Championships. Ellie Goldberg (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford), Joli Golembiewski (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby), and Jenny Weiss (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) all also recorded strong showings in Newark a few weeks ago, recording times of 20:03.62, 20:06.48, and 20:34.13 to help lead the Golden Rams.
Abigail Marion (South Abington, Pa./Abington Heights) did not run for West Chester a few weeks ago but has enjoyed a strong fall season, ranking among the top Golden Ram runners throughout the season.
Myers, Marion, Amin, Golembiewski, and Joey Gaffin (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) also bring an added level of experience to the 2023 Championships, having traversed this course with success in 2021 at the Bloomsburg Invitational as all five finished in the top-30, led by a seventh-place finish from Myers in 24:20. These strong efforts helped West Chester finish second at the Bloomsburg Invite.
Ava Medici (Garnet Valley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara), Anna Quakenbush (Oakton, Va./Oakton), Regan Shemely (Haddon Township, N.J./Haddon Township), Graduate transfer Madeline Spaulding (Willow Grove, Pa./Claritas Classical Academy), Kristina Tapia (Ridley, Pa./Ridley), and Erin Witter (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) have also enjoyed strong 2023 seasons or the Golden Rams and may have the opportunity to help contribute to the Golden Rams success on Saturday morning.
Fans can also visit wcupagoldenrams.com and follow the WCU Athletics social media channels throughout the weekend for updated news pertaining to the 2023 PSAC Women's Cross Country Championships.
Latest Women's Cross Country
- Women's Cross Country Finishes 17th at NCAA Atlantic Regional ChampionshipsLOCK HAVEN, Pa.- The West Chester University women's cross country team returned to action on Saturday morning for its final event of the 2023 campaign, competing at the 2023 NCAA Atlantic Region Championships at the West Branch Cross Country Course inside the Stern Athletic Complex in Lock Haven. Allison Myers (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) posted the top individual finish for West Chester with a 61st-place finish in 23 minutes and 01.4 seconds, which helped the Golden Rams finish 17th in the team standings.
- Women's Cross Country Readies for 2023 NCAA Atlantic Region Championships on SaturdayLOCK HAVEN, Pa.- The West Chester University women's cross country team is finishing its preparations for the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championships hosted by Lock Haven University on its West Branch Cross Country Course at the Stern Athletic Complex on Saturday morning.
- Women's Cross Country Finishes 13th at PSAC Cross Country ChampionshipsBLOOMSBURG, Pa.- Allison Myers (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) finished 45th in a time of 24:56.40 to lead the way for the West Chester University women's cross country team at the 2023 edition of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships. West Chetser finished 13th in the team standings, recording a team score of 334 on Saturday morning.
- Women's Cross Country Runner Up at NJIT Challenge
- Women's Cross Country Competes at Dickinson Long/Short InvitationalCARLISLE, Pa- The West Chester women's cross country team returned to action on Saturday morning at the Dickinson Long/Short Invitational, placing 13th out of 24 teams in attendance in the 6k race before finishing 14th in the 4k race.
- Women's Cross Country Finishes Fourth at Lebanon Valley InvitationalANNVILLE, Pa.- The West Chester University women's cross country team returned to action on Saturday morning at the Lebanon Valley Invitational at Union Canal Tunnel Park in Annville, Pennsylvania. Allison Myers (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown) led the way for West Chester with a 22nd-place finish in 20 minutes and 11.30 seconds to help guide the Golden Rams to a fourth-place finish in the team standings.
