ECAC Announces Women's Cross Country Runners of the Month for October 2021
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Women’s Cross Country Runners of the Month for October 2021.
Division II
Runner of the Month
Emilie Noreika, Sr., Southern Connecticut State
Noreika was a Northeast 10 Second-Team All-Conference Selection with her best finishing coming in 32nd of out of 263 in Paul Short Run 6k with personal-best time of 23:25.5.
Rookie of the Month
Megan Whitnell, Fr., Southern Connecticut State
A Northeast 10 Second-Team All-Conference Selection alongside her teammate Emilie Noreika, Whitnell came in 15th of out of 263 in Paul Short Run 6k with personal-best 6k time of 23:08.1.
Division III – North
Runner of the Month
Nia Goddard, Jr., RPI
At the Paul Short Run Goddard hit a career-best 6k at 21:27.1, a 5:45.2 per mile pace. She would go on to win the Liberty League Championship where she won by eight seconds ahead of the runner-up. For her efforts she was named Liberty League Performer of the Week twice.
Rookie of the Month
Jane Wagner, Fr., Ramapo College
Wagner led the Roadrunners at the NJAC Championships where she captured the first NJAC women's individual title in program history. Along with Chris Andersen, the duo became the first Roadrunner pair to sweep the individual titles in program history. She earned both NJAC Runner and NJAC Rookie of the Year honors along with NJAC First Team All-Conference.
Division III – South
Runner of the Month
Sydney Ruckel, Sr., Salisbury University
After finishing 11th at the Don Cathcart Invitational and placing in the top third at the nearly 300-runner strong Rowan Regional Rumble, Sydney Ruckel earned her second career first-team all-conference nod by finishing 6th at the C2C Championship on October 30, claiming First-Team All-C2C honors.
Rookie of the Month
Lydia Bennett, Fr., Grove City College
Bennett earned First Team All-Presidents' Athletic Conference honors and PAC Newcomer of the Year honors. She also earned PAC Rookie of the Week twice in October and five times during the season
Division III – Metro
Runner of the Month
Sayra Raya, Fr., U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Raya won the individual championship and Runner of the Year award at the Skyline Conference Championship Meet and was also the first Division III runner to cross the finish line at the Golden Eagle Invite earlier in the month. The Skyline Championship was her second-straight, as she also won the individual crown at the 2019 conference meet.
Rookie of the Month
Gianna Dickson, Fr., St. Joseph’s College
Dickson led St. Joseph's to a 14th Skyline Conference title with a 2nd place finish. She was named Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year and earned All-Conference First-Team accolades. She was named Skyline Conference Runner of the Week on Oct. 19 and Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week on Oct. 5 and Oct. 11.
ABOUT THE ECAC
The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an eighty-two-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions - I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC's esports platform is growing and now totals more than sixty colleges and universities and is expanding the geographic footprint for the conference nationally. The ECAC is also sponsoring competitions and leagues involving other varsity and club sports that do not fall under the umbrella of the NCAA.
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