The women's team is in a slightly different position than the men's. Not long ago the women's cross country team was a national player with a 7th place finish at the 2010 national championships. This is, in my opinion, still the most impressive accomplishment of any Stony Brook athletics team. There are 344 NCAA division I women's cross country teams. Most if not all power 5 schools sponsor cross country. To finish 7th is really really impressive.
The women's team has actually, by their standards, struggled lately. After winning 6 straight AE champsionships from 2007 to 2012, they have not won a conference title since. I have a totally unsubstantiated theory that dropping the swimming and diving team in 2012 had some title IX effects that brought about less scholarships for cross country. Or maybe they cut swimming and diving in 2012 and made budget cuts to the women's cross country team for cost savings.
Anyway I think this is the year the women's team gets back on top. They return almost everyone from last years third place team including Anikka Sisson (3rd at Conference championships), Alexandria Ortega (4th), Tiana Guevara (5th), Talia Guevara (21st), and Holly Manning (25th). Holly Manning is coming off a great indoor and outdoor track season, but looks like more of a true mid-distinance runner so we will see how it translates to cross. Ciara Murtphy, 55th at last years championships, had a great indoor and outdoor season. They bring in a large freshmen class, all of which could be good college runners. It's a matter of how long it'll take them to acclimated to college and collegiate running.
The top three is great. They just need to the rest of the team to close the gap and they'll be really good.
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