BENNINGTON, Vt. – The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) announced on Tuesday the results of its 2016 women's cross country poll with Southern Vermont College being selected to finish in fourth place at this year's championship meet by votes from the league's coaches.
SVC will once again be led by head coach Kathleen Newton who returns to the Mountaineers for her fourth season at the helm. Her team finished in fourth place at last year's title race with three of her runners placing in the top 10, and the crew is determined to do even better at the 2016 Championship.
"My expectations for the women's team this fall are high," Newton commented. "We have a strong core group of returning runners and younger runners who will also make a difference and impact the team.
The 2016 Mountaineer squad consists of eight returners, four being seniors with another two being juniors. Additionally, Coach Newton added one more senior to the group who is expected to compete as such and mesh well with the rest of the team.
Included in those returning for Southern Vermont is senior captain Shelby Whitman (Bennington, Vt.) who placed second overall at last year's championship meet after being the NECC Runner of the Week three times during the season. She is joined by Bennington College junior Annika Kristiansen (Keene, N.H.), who finished in third place at the NECC title race, and SVC senior Skye McGuire (Mechanicville, N.Y.) who made the All-NECC Second Team with a ninth-place showing.
"It's a catch-22 how I feel about the senior-laden team," said Newton about her group of soon-to-be graduates. "I'm excited knowing they want to have the best cross country season ever. Most of them are seasoned runners, so that helps the younger women. They also are great leaders; they set good examples, have a strong work ethic, and are also great mentors for the rest of the team. I'm excited for them, but I will miss each of them very much!"
Additional seniors returning for the Mountaineers are Emily Lesure (Cheshire, Mass.) and Kaylee Cross (Lewis, N.Y.) who are both expected to improve upon their rookie cross country performances from a year ago. Along with them are veteran sophomores Morgan Arleth (Berlin, N.Y.) and Morgan Kaeppel (Vernon, Vt.), a pair of seasoned runners who bring more experience to Newton's crew.
"During preseason, I have been really impressed," said Newton about her team's training. "They look strong in workouts, and they are pushing and encouraging each other. They are not afraid to hurt, and all are competitive. They know the key is to work together, and they will improve as a team. It's a team effort, and each workout, practice, weight room session and drill sets them up for success. It's also a great group to coach. They listen and make adjustments; they want to improve. They are motivated and looking forward to the season."
As Southern Vermont lost only one runner from last year to graduation, the Mountaineers are hoping to carry over their momentum from 2015 to climb the Conference results this season.
"I think the reason for our success last year was the same as I see for this season," Newton claimed. "They are in this for the team, and they all want to improve for their team. Their determination, drive and passion for the sport is there. They were ready to make a mark last season-- which they did. Now it's time to move forward, and the future looks bright for SVC women's cross country."
The Mountaineers begin the 2016 season on Saturday, September 3 with their home meet, the Mountaineer Invitational being set to start at 10:30 a.m. on the SVC campus. The NECC Championship is slated for Saturday, October 29 at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass.
With two of the nine possible first-place votes, Lesley University topped the preseason poll while Regis College took second with a lone first-place nod. Wheelock College, the 2015 NECC Champion, received five top selections but still ranked third overall.
2016 NECC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Lesley – 68 (2)
2. Regis – 65 (1)
3. Wheelock – 62 (5)
4. Southern Vermont – 57
5. Elms – 44
6. Mitchell – 36
7. Newbury – 32
8. Bay Path – 28
9. Daniel Webster – 13
(Parentheses denote first-place votes)
– #LetsGoSVC –