Women's Cross Country | 10/28/2017 2:11:00 PM

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The RIT women's cross country team placed fourth out of nine teams at the 2017 Liberty League Women's Cross Country Championship at Vassar Farms on the campus of Vassar College Saturday. RIT, who entered the race ranked eighth in the USTFCCCA Atlantic Region, posted a team score of 93 points.
 
Liberty League newcomer Ithaca College won the 2017 Liberty League title with 45 points, edging St. Lawrence, who recorded 47 points. Rensselaer, the two-time defending champions, placed third with 55 points. Rensselaer came into the race ranked third in the region and 23rd nationally, while St. Lawrence was fourth regionally and 25th nationally, and Ithaca was fifth in the region and 27th nationally.
 
Ithaca's Taryn Cordani rolled to a decisive win over the 6,000-meter course, recording a time of 21:26.1 to win by just over a minute over teammate Sierra Grazia.
 
Junior Becca Schwan (LeRoy, NY/LeRoy) was RIT's top finisher, placing seventh overall with a time of 23:21 to earn All-Liberty League first team honors. She was a second team selection in 2016.
 
Classmate Alexis Scott (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) finished 11th overall to earn All-Liberty League second team honors, as she crossed the finish line in 23:38.3.
 
Junior Brooke Busa (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) was 20th overall in a time of 23:54.5, while Kylie Trettner (Shoreham, NY/Shoreham-Wading River) finished right behind in 22nd, five seconds back of Busa. Junior Alaina Celeste (Oswego, NY/Oswego) rounded out RIT's top-five, placing 36th in 24:24.7.
 
Senior Jennifer Crossen (Bason, NY/Oakfield-Alabama) (37th overall – 24:27.6), Junior Emma Snyder (Nunda, NY/Nunda) (40th – 24:33.5) and freshman Emme Perkins (Tully, NY/Tully) (47th – 25:02.5) placed in the top-50 overall.

"We raced very well today," said RIT head coach Dave Stevens. "I'm really looking forward to seeing the ladies in action again in two weeks at Houghton."
 
RIT is off next weekend but returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 11 at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championships at Houghton College at 12 p.m.

"I'm especially proud of our seniors," said Stevens. "Jessica Dzialo (Latham, NY/Shaker), Breanna Dionne (Auburn, NH/Manchester), Jennifer Crossen (Bason, NY/Oakfield-Alabama), Kylie Trettner (Shoreham, NY/Shoreham-Wading River) and Faith Gruver (Rochester, NY/Greece Athena) have been instrumental in the renaissance of our program and we're going to miss them next year."