THREE-PEAT! Point Park (Pa.) holds off WVU Tech for third RSC XC women's title in a row
THREE-PEAT! Point Park (Pa.) holds off WVU Tech for third RSC XC women's title in a row
RESULTS: TEAM I INDIVIDUAL
PITTSBURGH -- Point Park (Pa.) University held off WVU Tech by three points to win its third-straight River States Conference Women's Cross Country Championship on Saturday from Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Pioneers scored 55 points to slip past the runner-up Golden Bears with 58. The meet was hosted by Carlow (Pa.) University.
Point Park made its conference titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019 with the win. The Pioneers advance to the NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championship Nov. 22 in Vancouver, Wash., with the RSC's automatic team qualification.
Alyssa Campbell placed first overall as the RSC Women's Cross Country Runner of the Year to lead Point Park to the championship. She ran the 5,000-meter race in 18:46 to win by 29 seconds. She was the conference runner-up last year to prolific former teammate Anna Shields.
Point Park had three of the top seven finishers with Reba Bartram (19:28) taking third and Alyssa Frausto (20:16) seventh as the Pioneers' other All-RSC selections, both on the first team. Alex Barr (21:21) was 17th, and Alyssa Boyd (22:02) was 27th as Point Park's other top-five scorers to clinch the title.
WVU Tech had a conference-high four All-RSC performers. Earning All-RSC second team were Carmen Camino (20:33) in eighth, Kaeley Boyd (20:43) in ninth, Michaela O'Dell (21:05) in 12th and Jaelynn Parks (21:05) in 13th. The Golden Bears also had Kara Sandusky (21:20) in 16th to round out their top five.
Lexi Jackson placed second individually and led IU Kokomo to third place as a team. She had a time of 19:15 and was joined on All-RSC by teammate Casey Lechner (20:50) in 11th place.
IU East placed fourth with top finisher being Edmalie Cruz-Sanchez (21:17) in 15th. Ohio Christian University placed fifth with Alyssa Turrentine (19:44) fourth overall. Midway (Ky.) University placed sixth with Sadie Taylor (20:46) registering 10th place. For the complete team results and standings, click the links abovel.
The top four individuals not from team champ Point Park qualified for NAIAs as individuals. In addition to Jackson (IU Kokomo) and Turrentine (Ohio Christian), that group also included Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College's Carlee Salyers (20:06) in fifth place and Carlow (Pa.) University's Larissa Kijowski (20:08) in sixth place.
Point Park's Jim Spisak was voted by his peers as the RSC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. Salyers, a freshman, was named the RSC Newcomer of the Year. She was the top finisher new to the conference.
The RSC Women's Cross Country Champions of Character Team was named with one individual nominated by each coach who is the one on their team who best exhibits the five values of NAIA Champions of Character: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Servant Leadership and Sportsmanship.
2019 RIVER STATES CONFERENCE WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM & INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Team Champion: Point Park (Pa.)
Team Runner-Up: WVU Tech
RSC Runner of the Year: Alyssa Campbell (18:46), Point Park (Pa.)
RSC Coach of the Year: Jim Spisak, Point Park (Pa.)
RSC Newcomer of the Year: Carlee Salyers, Alice Lloyd (Ky.)
ALL-RSC FIRST TEAM
1. Alyssa Campbell (18:46), Point Park (Pa.)
2. Lexi Jackson (19:15), IU Kokomo
3. Reba Bartram (19:28), Point Park (Pa.)
4. Alyssa Turrentine (19:44), Ohio Christian
5. Carlee Salyers (20:06), Alice Lloyd (Ky.)
6. Larissa Kijowski (20:08), Carlow (Pa.)
7. Alyssa Frausto (20:16), Point Park (Pa.)
ALL-RSC SECOND TEAM
8. Carmen Camino (20:33), WVU Tech
9. Kaeley Boyd (20:43), WVU Tech
10. Sadie Taylor (20:46), Midway (Ky.)
11. Casey Lechner (20:50), IU Kokomo
12. Michaela O'Dell (21:05) WVU Tech
13. Jaelynn Parks (21:05), WVU Tech
14. Madeline Jones (21:09), Brescia (Ky.)
RSC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER TEAM
Rachel McCoy -- Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College
Charisse Sallade -- Asbury (Ky.) University
Madline Jones -- Brescia (Ky.) University
Katie Winter -- Carlow (Pa.) University
Brooke Perreira -- IU East
Lexi Jackson -- IU Kokomo
Madeline Segars -- Midway (Ky.)
Lauryn Rutan -- Ohio Christian
Alex Barr -- Point Park (Pa.)
Kelsey Miller -- Rio Grande (Ohio)
Kaeley Boyd -- WVU Tech