Women's Cross Country Aims for Title at Saturday's Patriot League Championships

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell women's cross country team was the runner-up at least year's Patriot League Championships, but couldn't have been closer to winning its first league title since 2009. The Bison tied Boston University for first-place in points with 52, but the Terriers were awarded the championship after the NCAA tiebreaker was used. The Bison hope to avenge that result when they send a talented group of runners to Hamilton, New York on Saturday for this year's championship meet.

Bucknell was picked to win the league in a preseason vote of the head coaches and sports information directors, narrowly finishing ahead of Boston in the poll. The Bison lost their top two runners from last season, but return two All-Patriot League award winners. The Terriers return four of their top five runners, but the one they lost was last year's individual champion, Rosa Moriello. Navy also figures to be right in the mix after returning four of its top five runners from a team that finished third a year ago.

“Although we are not going in with a lot of momentum based on our Princeton result two weeks ago, it seems that our team's health has improved and the women have looked good in training,” said Bucknell head coach Kevin Donner. “Navy has improved a lot since the start of the season and two-time defending champion Boston has a lot of talented runners who will be hungry. Many of the championships over the years have been very close at the top and I expect that to happen again this year.”

Junior Kate Scott is the top returning runner for the Bison after earning Second Team All-Patriot League honors with a 12th-place finish last year. Junior Sarah Chandler also made the Second Team with a 14^th-place finish. Freshman Christine Bendzinski was just one spot away from earning All-League accolades in 15^th and was the second fastest freshman. Those three have been the Bison's top three runners in nearly every race this season. Scott earned Patriot League Runner of the Week recognition twice.

The Bison had nine runners finish in the top 40 last season. Included in that group were Deanna Godby in 24^th and Alison Billas in 32^nd.

Bucknell has won five Patriot League titles since Donner took over the program in 2001, including three straight from 2005-07. The program has won eight titles overall, including three straight under the direction of Art Gulden from 1998-2000. Donner then made it four straight with a championship in his debut season.

Since Bucknell's last title in 2009, Boston University and Navy have each won twice and Colgate won once. The Bison have been near the top every season during that stretch, including four runner-up finishes.