LOGAN TOWNSHIP, N.J. – After a runner-up finish a year ago, the Swarthmore College women's cross country team made history on Saturday, capturing its first-ever NCAA Metro Region championship at the Gloucester County DREAM Park.
With the victory, the Garnet also qualified as a team for the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history. Swarthmore showed off its depth and dominated the field in the 6K race, totaling a program-best 71 points and topping second-place The College of New Jersey by 32 points.
Six Garnet runners finished in the top-35 to garner All-Region recognition, the most for the squad in the past 15 years.
Olivia Montini led the way followed by
Elizabeth Page,
Ania Wong,
Charlotte Martin,
Téa Malone-Bonacci, and
Aaliyah Anaskevich.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Montini was the top Swarthmore finisher, taking 10
th place in 22:22.3. The senior has placed in the top-10 and earned All-Region in every year of her career. Montini will also compete at nationals for the fourth time.
- Page crossed 12
th with a time of 22:27.3 to earn her second All-Region nod. She surpassed her previous best at the regional by nearly 10 seconds. Wong followed in 14
th place (22:30.3), beating her time from last year's meet by less than a second. It is also her second All-Region honor.
- Martin came in 18
th place with a personal-best time of 22:38.4 in her regional debut. Malone-Bonacci also recorded a career best, taking 22
nd place in 22:45.0. It was also her top finish at the event, garnering All-Region status for the first time in her career.
- Anaskevich grabbed the final All-Region slot, coming across in 35
th place (23:08.7). It was a personal record for the sophomore and her first All-Region accolade.
Rica Eleches-Lipsitz rounded out the squad, finishing 49
th (23:34.7) in their first regional meet. It was a career-best time for the rookie.
UP NEXT
The Garnet will battle for a national title on November 22 in Spartanburg, S.C.
