LOCK HAVEN, Pa.- Following its best finish at the PSAC Championships since 2019, the West Chester University women's cross country team is finishing its preparations today in Lock Haven for the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships at the West Branch Course on Saturday, November 8.
The women's 6K race will begin at 10:30 am, followed by the men's 10k at 11:45 a.m.
"We had a great race at the PSAC Championships and have great momentum heading to Lock Haven this weekend," said Director of Cross Country and Track and Field
Colin Leak. "This team has been tremendously consistent all season and has done a good job of being patient and steadily working its way through the field. This was on full display in Edinboro and is something I'd love to see again this weekend," explained Leak.
Parking will once again be $5 per vehicle. Fans who are unable to make the trip to Lock Haven can follow the action via live results, available here, and live video, available
here.
Tickets to the NCAA Division II National Championships, as well as United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region honors, will be up for grabs once again this weekend in Lock Haven.
The top three teams will automatically advance to the Championship finals, with additional teams potentially advancing as At-Large selections when the full field is announced. Additionally, the top two individuals who are not part of a qualifying team will automatically advance to the Championship, as will any individuals who finish in the top five and are not part of a qualifying team.
Additionally, the top-25 finishers will be USTFCCCA All-Region.
"Lock Haven's course is not quite as challenging as the course at Edinboro, as it allows you to find a good pace and really stay on it pretty well," explained Leak. "We know that time doesn't matter as much as place does in cross country, so it's going to be important to go out on a good pace and stick with it throughout the afternoon so we can try to be there at the end. We are heading into the weekend ranked sixth in the Region, so we are a bit of an underdog, but we also know that we are well within striking distance so long as we execute our races properly. Just like PSACs, we don't need anyone to have a super-human day; we just need seven smart, well-executed races, and I think we will have a great day."
West Chester will be represented by
Taylor Atkinson,
Riley Dortone,
Ellie Goldberg,
Rylee McEvoy,
Grace O'Brien,
Kristina Tapia,
Jessalyn Welsh,
Megan Werner,
Abbie Williams, and Nishi Patel.
West Chester heads into the Regional Championships following a fourth-place finish at the PSAC Championships in Edinboro on October 25, which was the team's best team finish since a second-place finish in 2019. Tapia and Welsh both earned First Team All-League honors with seventh-place and 15
th-place finishes in 22 minutes and 43.40 seconds and 23:15.30, respectively.
Ellie Goldberg was the third and final Golden Ram to earn All-League honors, capturing Second Team honors with a 30
th-place finish in 23:44.90.
West Chester also got tremendous efforts from
Taylor Atkinson and
Megan Werner as they finished 36
th and 41
st in 23:52.40 and 24:01.90 to help West Chester close out its five quickly.
A year ago, West Chester placed 13
th at the Regional Championships, led by a 16
th-place finish in 21:42.2, which was good enough for All-Region honors. Goldberg and Welsh also finished in the top-80 in 73
rd and 77
th in times of 22:57.5 and 22:58.4, respectively.
Fans can visit wcupagoldenrams.com and follow the WCU Athletics social media channels throughout the weekend for updated news pertaining to the 2025 NCAA Atlantic Regional Women's Cross Country Championships.
