TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The Cornell women's cross country team placed seventh out of 26 teams in the white division race with 224 points Friday at the Pre-National Invitational at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, showcasing improved confidence and a more assertive approach in the 6-kilometer race.
The Big Red ran with purpose from the opening stages and worked together throughout the race, building on its previous performance at the Paul Short Invitational. Cornell's second through seventh finishers were separated by approximately 40 seconds, demonstrating the team's ability to stay connected through the field.
"The women ran a much more assertive race early and showed a lot more confidence in their racing," Alan B. '53 and Elizabeth Heekin Harris Head Coach of Men's and Women's Cross Country Mike Henderson said. "The 2-7 pack of about 40 seconds was nice to see. I think this race showed a lot more of what the team is capable of, and was solid progress from the race at Paul Short."
Cornell Individual Results
Maisie McManus — 17th, 21:16.9
Kinga Czajkowska — 44th, 21:48.3
Fiona Lee — 61st, 21:56.2
Sophia Juanes Seto — 72nd, 22:01.5
Lucia Werner — 124th, 22:26.7
Kate Ahmari — 127th, 22:27.8
Hannah Kersten — 132nd, 22:29.3
McManus led the Big Red with a 17th-place finish in 21:16.9. Czajkowska followed in 44th, with Lee and Juanes Seto close behind in 61st and 72nd, respectively.
Juanes Seto helped establish the team's tone with a strong opening mile, while Cornell's pack continued to work together through the middle stages of the race. The Big Red's final three scorers, Werner, Ahmari and Kersten, finished within three seconds of one another to round out a closely grouped effort.
Henderson emphasized that the performance represented meaningful progress, while noting that both Cornell squads have more potential to reach.
"The most exciting part is that both teams can run better," Henderson said.
Up Next
Cornell returns to competition Friday, Oct. 23, when it hosts Syracuse at the John Reif Memorial in Ithaca, New York.
