UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Coming off an impressive victory at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships last weekend, the Nittany Lion women’s cross country team has vaulted to No. 9 in the latest United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) rankings. The Nittany Lions are set to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Championships this Saturday at the University of Louisville. The Nittany Lions will be making their fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championships, coming off a 13th-place showing a year ago.
The No. 9 ranking is the highest for Penn State since the Nittany Lions appeared at No. 7 in the poll during the week of October 14, 1996.
The Nittany Lions captured a narrow 61-63 point victory over defending NCAA Champion Georgetown at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional this past weekend, picking up the program’s first-ever regional victory.
A quintet of Nittany Lions, who placed third in the high-powered Big Ten Conference Championships last month, picked up USTFCCCA All-Region status in the effort, including junior Victoria Perri (Philadelphia, Pa.), senior Brooklyne Ridder (Cincinnati, Ohio), and junior Rebekka Simko (Mentor, Ohio), who each turned in top 10 finishes, placing fourth, sixth, and 10th, respectively.
Also bringing home All-Region medals were sophomore Leigha Anderson (Carlisle, Pa.), and junior Emily Giannotti (Coudersport, Pa.), who rounded out the Nittany Lion scoring five in 20th, and 21st positions.
The Nittany Lions are set to race on Saturday, Nov. 17, with the women’s race set for noon. Senior Sam Masters (Columbia, Mo.) will represent the Nittany Lions in the men’s race, which is slated for a 1:15 p.m. start.