Salisbury University will be looking for its fifth-straight Capital Athletic Conference team title at the 2012 Women’s Cross Country Championship meet Saturday (10/27) at the Maplehurst Country Club in Frostburg, Md.
Many teams already competed on the championship course on September 22nd. Mary Washington finished second overall in that meet, followed by York third, Salisbury fourth, St. Mary’s fifth, Marymount sixth, and Frostburg State seventh.
Salisbury, the four-time defending CAC Champion, is team to beat for the 2012 team title. The Sea Gulls narrowly won a three-team battle for the championship trophy last year in the snowstorm at York, Pa., scoring 48 points to finish ahead of second-place Mary Washington (57) and third-place York (58).
In the Oct. 16, 2012, regional coach’s poll, Mary Washington is eighth in the South/Southeast Region.
Mary Washington’s junior Liz Green was the 2012 CAC Athlete of the Year after winning the individual title in the championship chase.
Other top runners to watch are Frostburg State sophomore Gabbi Maher, Marymount junior Jessica Daley, Mary Washington sophomore Tara Landy, Salisbury sophomore Hailey Spinapont, sophomore duo Misty Parshall and Jess Miller from York, and Wesley senior Tristin Burris. Spinapont finished fifth in last year’s championship while Parshall was ninth.
Here is a look at each team heading into Saturday’s championship chase.
FROSTBURG STATE will host the CAC Championship meet for the first time this weekend and the Bobcats will use that "home field advantage" to make a run at the conference title. Sophomore Gabbi Maher has been the team's top finisher and should push for all-conference honors. Junior Jen Bower was the squad's top finisher earlier this season at the FSU Invitational after finishing 35th. Sophomore Bryn Alston was the fourth finisher for the Bobcats earlier this season at the FSU Invitational and she will look to improve on that performance at the league championships.
MARYMOUNT looks to put together its best finish in program history at the CAC Championships. Junior Jessica Daley, the 2010 Rookie of the Year, and freshman Payton Bodecker, a strong candidate for honors this season, lead an experienced Saints roster that features five upperclassmen.
MARY WASHINGTON sophomore Tara Landy and reigning CAC Runner of the Year Liz Green will look to lead the team back to the top of the CAC mountain at the CAC Championships. The Eagles have won a league-best 13 CAC titles through the years.
SALISBURY has placed in the top five twice this season, including one meet championship. Sophomore Hailey Spinapont has been the top Sea Gull in each of their five events this season, placing in the top 29 in every race, including two races with more than 290 runners. Senior Jessie Early will be aiming for the fourth CAC team cross country title in her four years in maroon and gold.
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY women’s cross country is riding its first win of the season into this Saturday’s CAC Championship as the Knights finished ahead of nine other teams at last weekend’s Hood Open in Hood, Md. One week earlier at Gettysburg, Pa., Southern Virginia’s top five finishers all set 6K personal records on route to the fastest 1-5 times in the program’s 15-year history. Sophomore Tori Faulkner has been Southern Virginia’s top finisher in 12 of her 13 career races, including five of the Knights’ six races this season.
ST. MARY’S has made a late season push in preparation for the 2012 CAC championships and Margaret Lillie has led the way as the team’s top finisher in the last three meets. The Seahawks will look to add to last year’s two All-CAC awards with strong performances from Lillie, Keighly Bradbrook and Michelle DiMenna.
WESLEY’s Tristin Burris and Twila McCrea will look to help the wolverines improve on three-consecutive ninth place finishes at the CAC Championships under first-year head coach Stephen Kimes … Burris is currently running at a season-high pace while McCrea has broken her PR each time on the course this season.
YORK brings a solid team into the 2012 Capital Athletic Conference championships. Sophomore duo Jess Miller and Misty Parshall lead the Green and White. Junior Nicole Danielewicz and senior Tuesday Wilson join Parshall as the Spartans' returning All-CAC performers from last year's snow-filled championship event in York.
