BOSTON – Suffolk women's cross country will make history Friday, Oct. 4 as it races at the Pre-National Championships for the first time in program history. The 6k race is scheduled for 9:00 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
Don't miss any of the action from the Pre-National Championship. Live results can be found here, and the race can be viewed here.
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The Pre-National Championship is open to any NCAA Division III institution for Championship and Open Races with the championship meet capped at 46 NCAA DIII programs with a maximum of 10 student-athletes per team. Both Suffolk's squads were selected to the championship race.
THE FIELD
The men's race will feature eight nationally ranked teams in No. 3 Wisconsin Whitewater, No. 5 Pomona Pitzer, No. 22 Washington, No. 12 MIT, No. 28 Haverford, No. 29 Santa Cruz, No. 26 Loras, No. 10 George Fox and Chicago, who is receiving votes, as well as a dozen regionally ranked squads including Suffolk's regional counterpart Babson.
On the women's side, nine team land in the nation's top-30 in No. 2 Chicago, No. 4 MIT, No. 10 Washington, No. 19 George Fox, No. 22 Connecticut College, No. 21 Washington and Lee, No. 17 Depauw, No. 29 Santa Cruze and No. 18 Central with a handful others ranked in their respective regions including the Rams at sixth in the East. Suffolk will also be joined in Terre Haute, Indiana by its Conference of New England (CNE) counterparts Endicott and Gordon.
THE DISTANCE
Suffolk's squads will be racing the NCAA DIII standard of 6k for the women and 8k for the men. It is the second meet in 2024 that the Rams will run those distances.
THE COURSE
The LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course will be the host of the 2024 NCAA DIII Championships in mid-November and teams will get a preview of it this Friday, Oct. 4 for the Pre-National Championship.
It has hosted 13 NCAA DI National Championships and the 2012 NCAA DIII National Championship. Most recently, the 2022 NCAA DI Great Lakes Regional was run on the course.
COACH'S QUOTE
"Having both teams selected to compete in the Championship races at Pre-Nationals is a massive accomplishment for our program," head coach Will Feldman said.
"Racing at night will be a first for myself and our teams," Feldman continued. "It will be a unique challenge for all teams competing, and I can't wait to see how our teams handle racing that late, and under the lights. I wouldn't be surprised to see several upsets in the scoring, and a relatively slower race due to the unique conditions."
SUFFOLK'S SCOUT
- Suffolk aims for a top 20 showing and ideally a top finish 15 if the Rams run their best.
- The front pack will be led by Amalia Dorion, Amy Pattelena, Sydney Fogg and Sofia Moukaddem.
- Paige Estaphan should be Suffolk's fifth finisher not far behind the front four.
- Shannon Groom and Megan Dunn will round out the blue-and-gold on the course, and are more than capable of stepping up and being top five scorers.
LAST TIME OUT
Running against some of the best teams in the region and in the country, Suffolk women's cross country turned in a seventh-place showing at the Cardinal Invitational Saturday morning at The Wes Fuhrman '05 Trails Cross Country Course.
MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Finishes Seventh at Cardinal Invitational
RAMS RECOGNITION
Suffolk women's cross country swept the Conference of New England (CNE) Weekly Awards as Amalia Dorion was named CNE Runner of the Week and Megan Dunn was tabbed CNE Rookie of the Week thanks to their performances at the Cardinal Invitational.
MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Sweeps CNE Weekly Awards
RAMS REGIONALLY RANKED
Suffolk women's cross country remained sixth in the East in the Week 3 edition of the U.S. Track & Field Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings, the national organization announced Tuesday afternoon.
MORE READING: Women's Cross Country Stays Sixth in East in USTFCCCA Rankings
SUFFOLK'S SCHEDULE
The Rams return to New England and will prep for the Connecticut College Invitational Saturday, Oct. 19.
