The 2025 women’s cross-country season will begin with the University of Hartford Invitational in Hartford, Conn. on Saturday, Sept. 6.
The race will kick off at 11:15 a.m. and will feature athletes from Southern Connecticut State University, the University of New Haven, Bentley University and more.
This year, the Huskies welcomed five freshmen to the roster and welcomed back several team leaders. Of the returners and team leaders is senior Chloe Trudel.
Trudel closed out the 2024 season with a 29th place finish in the 6K at the Big East Championships. Her 21:52.4 time helped the Huskies secure a third-place finish, following closely behind Georgetown and Providence. Trudel continued to shave off time throughout the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons. The Husky finished the 2025 outdoor track season with a personal best time and fourth place finish of 34:42.71 in the 10,000-meter at the Big East Championships.
Trudel is joined by junior Malin Rahm. The Swiss runner finished the 2024 NCAA Northeast Regional in 67th with a 21:24 time. Senior Ally McCarthy’s personal best 6K time of 21:55.4 will also make her a competitive athlete this season.
The freshman runners feature Teanne Ewings of Houlton, Maine. Ewings was the 2024-2025 Gatorade Maine Girls Cross Country Player of the Year and an 11x state champion.
Freshman Brooke Strauss of Glastonbury, Conn. is another decorated runner joining the program. Strauss was awarded the 2025 Gatorade Connecticut Outdoor Girls Track and Field Player of the Year award for her standout performances. During her high school career, she finished first in the mile at the New Balance Indoor Track and Field National Championships with a time of 4:39.53 and set a New England meet record in the 1,000-meter with a time of 2:46.05.
The Huskies also said goodbye to several veteran athletes. Among the graduated runners is Chloe Thomas. Last season, Thomas made program history with a first-place finish at the 2024 NCAA Northeast Regional with a 6K time of 19:23. Former senior Jenna Zydanowicz was close behind Thomas with a personal best 19:53 time. The Thomas-Zydanowicz duo will leave big shoes to fill this upcoming season.
This weekend’s race will feature tough competition from Southern Connecticut’s Courtney Henchcliffe, who finished with a 22:03.9 personal best time in the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. Southern Connecticut’s PJ Dauphinais’ 6K personal best time of 22:27.7 – ran at the 2023 NCAA Division II East Region Cross Country Championships – is also competitive.