QU Women’s Cross Country Earns No. 13 Ranking in USTFCCCA Northeast Region Poll
9/22/2016 9:50:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
Bobcats Earn Highest Ranking in Northeast Regional Poll in Program History
HAMDEN, Connecticut – The Quinnipiac women's cross country team made history in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Northeast Region Poll for Week #2 of the 2016 season as the Bobcats received the No. 13 ranking, good enough for the highest mark in program history.
After being selected first in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Bobcats have done nothing to disappoint as they have excelled both collectively and individually in both meets so far in the 2016 season. The Bobcats stepped into the Northeast Regional ranking for the first time in 2016 after not being ranked the first two installments of the poll. In previous years, the highest ranking achieved by the Bobcats was No. 14 and the last time Quinnipiac was ranked in the poll came back on Oct. 21, 2015 when the Bobcats ranked No. 15.
This record-breaking laurel comes on the heels of a successful appearance at the Iona Meet of Champions (Sept. 16) that saw the Bobcats take second place out of a 10-team field from the Van Cortlandt Park course. Quinnipiac managed to place ahead of No. 15 ranked in the Northeast Army West Point as well as a top finish among the five MAAC teams in competition including Iona (fifth), Manhattan (sixth), Fairfield (ninth) and Saint Peter's (10th).
Emily Wolff (Highlands Ranch, Colorado) and Kaleigh Roberts (Higganum, Connecticut) led the charge as the junior tandem placed fourth and seventh, respectively, in a field of 135 competitors. Racing in 12 career events together, Wolff and Roberts have gone back-to-back in the team leaderboard in every race. Wolff's fourth place finish is her third Top 5 and fifth Top 10 result of her career while she was the fastest Bobcat for just the second time out of 12 appearances. Roberts earned the fifth Top 10 finish of her career.
The women started the season with a second place result at the Stony Brook Invitational (Sept. 3) in a meet that saw the Bobcats hold out all five of their returning top seven finishers from the 2015 MAAC Championship. Kaitlin Bakas (South Windsor, Connecticut) took the lead for the Bobcats, leading the team with an eighth place finish. In all, five freshmen claimed the top five results for the Bobcats who took a runner-up finish to open the season.
Quinnipiac looks to continue its early season success next weekend as the Bobcats head to Lehigh University on Saturday, Oct. 1 for the annual appearance in the Paul Short Run. At the 2015 Paul Short Run, the Bobcats claimed a program-best 10th place finish in the event.
| 2016 Week #2 USTFCCCA Northeast Region Rankings | ||
| Rank | Team | Last Week |
| 1. | Providence | 1 |
| 2. | Syracuse | 2 |
| 3. | Yale | 3 |
| 4. | Harvard | 4 |
| 5. | Cornell | 6 |
| 6. | Columbia | 5 |
| 7. | Dartmouth | 10 |
| 8. | Brown | 7 |
| 9. | Boston College | 8 |
| 10. | UMass Lowell | NR |
| 11. | New Hampshire | 9 |
| 12. | Stony Brook | 11 |
| 13. | Quinnipiac | NR |
| 14. | Buffalo | 13 |
| 15. | Army West Point | NR |
After being selected first in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, the Bobcats have done nothing to disappoint as they have excelled both collectively and individually in both meets so far in the 2016 season. The Bobcats stepped into the Northeast Regional ranking for the first time in 2016 after not being ranked the first two installments of the poll. In previous years, the highest ranking achieved by the Bobcats was No. 14 and the last time Quinnipiac was ranked in the poll came back on Oct. 21, 2015 when the Bobcats ranked No. 15.
This record-breaking laurel comes on the heels of a successful appearance at the Iona Meet of Champions (Sept. 16) that saw the Bobcats take second place out of a 10-team field from the Van Cortlandt Park course. Quinnipiac managed to place ahead of No. 15 ranked in the Northeast Army West Point as well as a top finish among the five MAAC teams in competition including Iona (fifth), Manhattan (sixth), Fairfield (ninth) and Saint Peter's (10th).
Emily Wolff (Highlands Ranch, Colorado) and Kaleigh Roberts (Higganum, Connecticut) led the charge as the junior tandem placed fourth and seventh, respectively, in a field of 135 competitors. Racing in 12 career events together, Wolff and Roberts have gone back-to-back in the team leaderboard in every race. Wolff's fourth place finish is her third Top 5 and fifth Top 10 result of her career while she was the fastest Bobcat for just the second time out of 12 appearances. Roberts earned the fifth Top 10 finish of her career.
The women started the season with a second place result at the Stony Brook Invitational (Sept. 3) in a meet that saw the Bobcats hold out all five of their returning top seven finishers from the 2015 MAAC Championship. Kaitlin Bakas (South Windsor, Connecticut) took the lead for the Bobcats, leading the team with an eighth place finish. In all, five freshmen claimed the top five results for the Bobcats who took a runner-up finish to open the season.
Quinnipiac looks to continue its early season success next weekend as the Bobcats head to Lehigh University on Saturday, Oct. 1 for the annual appearance in the Paul Short Run. At the 2015 Paul Short Run, the Bobcats claimed a program-best 10th place finish in the event.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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