The UConn women’s cross country team proved its mettle at the Paul Short run, battling against national powerhouses to secure sixth overall as a team.
The college gold 6K proved to be a positive step for the team, showcasing their full potential to compete at a higher level. It provided them with the opportunity to compete against some of their notable Big East opponents, including Villanova, which finished in first place, and Georgetown, which secured third place. This experience not only highlighted their capabilities but also contributed to their growth and preparation for future competitions.
Other strong teams in the competition included Penn State, which is currently ranked 15th in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s Poll for this week. Penn State finished in a solid second place behind Villanova. Utah State, which is ranked 17th on the poll, also performed well, placing fifth. Additionally, Texas A&M, although not ranked, still demonstrated its strength by finishing in fourth place, showing that the team is a serious contender in the field. These teams showcased impressive performances, highlighting the depth and competitiveness of the event.
At a longer distance than their 3K and 5K team results, which they won, they demonstrated their commitment to running as a team, with the top five UConn runners finishing among the top 75 overall among individual runners.
Brooke Strauss, named Big East Female Athlete of the Week after her performance at the Ted Owen Invitational, continued her dominant debut. Leading the Huskies as well as all true first-year students in the race, she finished 24th overall with a time of 20:22.4. Senior captain Chloe Trudel was second, finishing 33rd overall with a time of 20:30.1 and Sascha Letica was third, taking 45th with a time of 20:47.5.
Malin Rahm finished 64th with a time of 20:58.4 and Loghan Hughes rounded out the top five, finishing 75th with a time of 21:05.9.
Finishing next were Claire Paci and Allison McCarthy, with times of 21:10.2 and 21:15.8, 82nd and 93rd, respectively. To finish out for the team, Teanne Ewings, Calista Mayer and Samantha Moore finished with times of 21:24.6, 21:25.3 and 22:16.0 — with the entire squad finishing under 25 minutes.
Head coach Beth Alford-Sullivan praised both freshmen and returning runners, noting their improvement from a year ago.
“We needed this race to give us an opportunity to see our Big East opponents and get our noses dirty in competition,” Alford-Sullivan stated, as the team looks forward to competing in Princeton two weeks from now, the meet before the Big East Championship in Omaha, Neb.