Women's Cross Country Set to Open 2023 Season at Galen Piper Challenge
WEST CHESTER, Pa.- As the sun sinks low on Friday evening, the curtain will rise on a new season and new era for West Chester women's cross country as the team opens its 2023 season on Friday night at Shippensburg's Galen Piper Challenge.
At the helm of the Golden Rams is Colin Leak, who is in his second season leading the West Chester cross country program but his first as the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country after being elevated to this post over the summer.
In 2022, West Chester finished 11th at the PSAC Championships behind a seventh-place finish by Bella Marchini. In the preseason poll released earlier this month, West Chester was predicted to finish 13th in the league in 2023.
West Chester returns a host of talented runners in 2023, headlined by captains Alexandra Amin (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing) and Allison Myers (Dallastown, Pa./Dallastown). In addition to the return of veterans Amin and Myers, West Chester also welcomes back Joey Gaffin (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury), Josey George (Oxford, Ga./Walnut Grove), Ellie Goldberg (West Deptford, N.J./West Deptford), Joli Golembiewski (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby), Abigail Marion (South Abington, Pa./Abington Heights), Ava Medici (Garnet Valley, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara), Regan Shemeley (Haddon Township, N.J./Haddon Township), Kristina Tapia (Ridley Park, Pa./Ridley), Jenny Weiss (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township), and Erin Witter (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville). Along with this strong group of returners, West Chester also welcomes a few talented newcomers to the roster, including Janiyah Black (Philadelphia, Pa.), Anna Quakenbush (Oakton, Va./Oakton), and transfer Madeline Spaulding (Willow Grove, Pa./Claritas Classical Academy).
West Chester will kick off its 2023 season at 8:35 p.m. on Friday at the Galen Piper Challenge before returning to action on September 15 at the DII/DIII Challenge hosted by Kutztown. Throughout the year, West Chester will set its sights on the final two races on the calendar: the PSAC Championships on October 21, hosted by Bloomsburg, and the NCAA Regional Championships hosted by Lock Haven two weeks later on November 4.
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 Readies for 2023 PSAC Championships on Saturday at BloomsburgBLOOMSBURG, 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.
- 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.
