HAMILTON, N.Y. – The Navy women’s cross country team finished third overall at the 2023 Patriot League Cross Country Championship which was hosted by Colgate University at the Harry H. Lang Cross Country Course on Saturday morning. Ellie Abraham was the top individual for the Midshipmen, crossing the finish line in fifth place with a 6K time of 22:20.3.
Navy closed out the race with 74 total points, coming in behind Army (29 points) and Boston University (40). Bucknell followed Navy with 91 points, while Lehigh rounded out the top five with 127 points. Lafayette (203), American (229), Colgate (234), Loyola (235), and Holy Cross (258) completed the team scoring.
BU’s Hannah Prosser and Vera Sjoberg claimed the top two individual finishes, followed by Army’s Charlotte Richman and Claire Lewis who crossed the line just ahead of Abraham.
Through the first checkpoint at 1,000m, the Midshipmen were in fifth place (120 points) with Abraham (9th) and Caroline Harding (10th) in the top 10 among individuals. Navy trimmed five points off of its team total through the checkpoint at 2,355m with Abraham moving from ninth up to eighth. Through 3,360m, the Mids moved into fourth place, cutting 26 points off of their team total to 89 points. Abraham continued to climb, moving into fourth place through the final marker and helping the Midshipmen move up as a team into third place with 75 points. The team trimmed one point off the total to take third place with a team tally of 74 points.
With her fifth-place finish, Abraham earned First Team All-Patriot League honors. It was the third time in the senior’s career that she earned all-conference honors and her second time notching first-team distinction.
“Ellie ran a smart race,” head coach Kim Lewnes said of her senior. “She stayed patient the first two miles and fought until the end. I am really proud of her execution. She had her highest cross country championship finish today.”
Harding finished just out of the top 10, coming in 11th with a time of 22:39.0. Her time earned the senior Second Team All-Patriot League recognition for the first time in her four-year career.
“Today was Caroline’s first Patriot League Conference Championship in any season,” Lewnes added. “She has put in the work and built her confidence. Not only is she our most improved in this season, but over four years. She is an inspiration to all the women on our team, proving it doesn’t matter if you are a recruit or a walk on; just put on that Navy jersey and give it your best.”
Sophomore Sophie Compton was 16th with a time of 22:49.6, while senior McKenna Brophy was one spot back in 17th with a time of 22:53.7. Competing in her first PL Championship, freshman Lillee Tang rounded out Navy’s top 5 with a time of 23:19.3 to come in 25th. Juniors Alex Wercinski (23:25.0) and Olivia Lutkevich (23:26.2) were sixth and seventh among the Midshipmen runners.
“Although today wasn’t Sophie’s best performance, I never doubt that she will show up to give it her all,” said Lewnes. “She will learn from today’s race and grow from her disappointments. McKenna stayed engaged and also moved up throughout the race. She went from 40th last year to 17th this championship. She has been dedicated to improving and contributing to the team in a big way. Lillee Tang really stepped it up today. Knowing that Boots was not racing today, the team knew someone needed to have a special race. Although Lillee did not get the best position off the very narrow starting line, she slowly moved up and had her best performance of the season today.”
Freshman Sarah Colebrooke (23:30.3), sophomore Kate Leddy (23:43.9), sophomore Samantha Woodworth (24:02.5), junior Katelyn Pepin (24:07.7), and sophomore Mia-Claire Kezal (24:29.2) also competed for the Mids.
“Army and BU ran great races today,” Lewnes concluded. “They have a lot of young talent. Our underclassmen have taken note of that and will be prepared to take back in title in 2024. Additionally, I am so proud of Coach Lanzel and the men’s team. They are crushing it, which also motivates us to get back on top of the Patriot League!”
Both Navy teams will have two weeks to prepare for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, hosted at Lehigh at the Goodman Campus Cross Country Course in Bethlehem, Pa. on Friday, Nov. 10.
Team Results
1. Army – 29
2. Boston – 40
3. Navy – 74
4. Bucknell – 91
5. Lehigh – 127
6. Lafayette – 203
7. American – 229
8. Colgate – 234
9. Loyola – 235
10. Holy Cross – 258
Navy Top 7
5. Ellie Abraham – 22:20.3
11. Caroline Harding – 22:39.0
16. Sophie Compton – 22:49.6
17. McKenna Brophy – 22:53.7
25. Lillee Tang – 23:19.3
29. Alex Wercinski – 23:25.0
30. Olivia Lutkevich – 23:26.2
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