Friday, October 31
Bethlehem, Pa.
Noon
Bucknell University
vs
Patriot League Championships
Photo by: Haylee Erme
Cross Country Travels to League Championships on Friday
10/30/2025 10:32:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell cross country season started in Bethlehem at the Lehigh Open and the campaign comes full circle with the 2025 Patriot League Championships at the same locale. The Bison men seek to improve upon last year's sixth place finish and the Bucknell women aim to break into the top three after finishing fourth in 2024. Both squadrons are hoping for treats and not tricks while racing on Halloween. The women's race begins at noon and the men's competition follows at 1 p.m.
When:Â Friday, Oct. 31 | Women's 6k Race (12:00 p.m.) | Men's 8k Race (1:00 p.m.)
Where: Lehigh Cross Country Course - Bethlehem, Pa.
Live Results:Â leonetiming.com
Tournament Central: patriotleague.org
Donner's Debriefing
"This is going to be a very interesting league championship for the women. Army is the two-time defending champions with almost everyone back. Boston, Bucknell, Lehigh, and Navy all seem to be darkhorses, but obviously we all have to run the same race. Our ladies have had a very solid season and training very well. You just never know. We have not gone head-to-head with Boston, Army, and Navy at all this year and when we ran against Lehigh, it was still August and they did not race their team and a lot has happened since then."
"For the men, Navy, Army, and Boston seem to be the top three on paper, but American, Colgate, and Lehigh all have solid teams as well. The league is deeper than it ever has been and we expect this race to be very aggressive and competitive. We return Ethan Pratt-Perez, who was All-League last year, and Henry Didden is at a whole new level. The key will be our 3-4-5 runners. There is talent on our team in that area and now it is time to show it."
Overview
The Patriot League cross country major awards will be distributed following the race and will be determined by the individual finish of the competing student-athletes at the championship. The individual champion of both races will be named the Patriot League Runner of the Year for the men and women. The top-finishing freshman in both races earns Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors. The top-seven finishers in the men's and women's races make the All-Patriot League First Team, with the eighth through 14th-place runners making up the second team. The Patriot League's Men's and Women's Coaching Staffs of the Year will be voted on by the League's head coaches at the conclusion of both races. Academic All-Patriot League and Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards will be voted upon by the League's head coaches and announced the week following the race.Â
Up Next
Bucknell will return to Lehigh on Nov. 14 for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships.Â
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When:Â Friday, Oct. 31 | Women's 6k Race (12:00 p.m.) | Men's 8k Race (1:00 p.m.)
Where: Lehigh Cross Country Course - Bethlehem, Pa.
Live Results:Â leonetiming.com
Tournament Central: patriotleague.org
Donner's Debriefing
"This is going to be a very interesting league championship for the women. Army is the two-time defending champions with almost everyone back. Boston, Bucknell, Lehigh, and Navy all seem to be darkhorses, but obviously we all have to run the same race. Our ladies have had a very solid season and training very well. You just never know. We have not gone head-to-head with Boston, Army, and Navy at all this year and when we ran against Lehigh, it was still August and they did not race their team and a lot has happened since then."
"For the men, Navy, Army, and Boston seem to be the top three on paper, but American, Colgate, and Lehigh all have solid teams as well. The league is deeper than it ever has been and we expect this race to be very aggressive and competitive. We return Ethan Pratt-Perez, who was All-League last year, and Henry Didden is at a whole new level. The key will be our 3-4-5 runners. There is talent on our team in that area and now it is time to show it."
Overview
- Both Bison teams enter the league championships with high hopes after successful fall campaigns. The Bison men seek atonement after last year's slip to sixth and the women are eager to reclaim their rightful position in the PL's top three.Â
- The Bucknell women's program has a League-high 12 team titles. Army West Point earned a seventh title last season to secure the second overall spot in League history. Navy (6), Boston University (4) and American (2) have each won multiple League Championships. Colgate, Lafayette and Lehigh each have one women's team title.
- Bucknell's women's team is currently No. 9 in the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Region Poll, while Navy is No. 10 and Lehigh is ranked No. 12. Army is No. 7 in the Northeast Region with Boston University coming in at No. 13.
- The Orange & Blue women return two 2024 Second Team All-League runners, Kailey Granger and Caryn Rippey. Granger finished 12th and Rippey placed 10th. With Shaelan McNally's excellent sophomore campaign, the trio will be the core of Bucknell's effort.Â
- The women's team finished second at the ECAC/IC4A Championships in their latest outing and were only two points away (83 to 81) from tying Brown for first place.Â
- McNally ran 20.56.4 to finish sixth as the highest-finishing Bison.Â
- Rippey joined her in the top ten, placing eighth (21:12.4).Â
- The Navy men earned their 12th title a season ago, taking over the top spot in the League. The Mids have won the last four League men's championships. Army West Point trails with 11 championship victories. The last non-academy champion was Lehigh in 2012.
- The Navy men's cross country team was ranked No. 4 in the US Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) Mid-Atlantic Region when the polls were released on Oct. 20. American was No. 11 and Lehigh checked in at No. 15. In the Northeast Region, Boston University led the way with a No. 5 ranking, while Army West Point was tabbed No. 7.Â
- Pratt-Perez is the sole returning 2024 All-League runner for Bucknell. The sophomore slotted an impressive 14th as a freshman.Â
- The men's squad, hampered by injuries, placed seventh at the ECAC/IC4A Championships.
- Didden finished second, running 24:24.1, and was only 0.6 seconds away from first.Â
- Pratt-Perez finished 14th with a time of 24:45.4. The sophomore runner was 0.1 seconds behind the next runner.
The Patriot League cross country major awards will be distributed following the race and will be determined by the individual finish of the competing student-athletes at the championship. The individual champion of both races will be named the Patriot League Runner of the Year for the men and women. The top-finishing freshman in both races earns Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors. The top-seven finishers in the men's and women's races make the All-Patriot League First Team, with the eighth through 14th-place runners making up the second team. The Patriot League's Men's and Women's Coaching Staffs of the Year will be voted on by the League's head coaches at the conclusion of both races. Academic All-Patriot League and Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards will be voted upon by the League's head coaches and announced the week following the race.Â
Up Next
Bucknell will return to Lehigh on Nov. 14 for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships.Â
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Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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