William and Mary traveled up to Boston, Massachusetts this weekend to compete in the Colonial Athletic Association Championships hosted by Northeastern. The Tribe has historically performed very well in the conference finals, and this weekend was no exception.
Men’s Cross Country
A cool, drizzly CAA Championship meet posed no obstacle for the Tribe. Despite losing their 20-year CAA win streak last March to Northeastern (during the abnormal, COVID-induced spring season), the Tribe swept back into first place this year, with 28 points to the Huskies’ 39. The Championship win marks the 34th year the Tribe has placed first or second at the meet.
The defending champs and home team, Northeastern, put up the fastest time in the 8k from last year’s runner up Alexander Korczynski. However, the Tribe managed to round out the top three with dominating performances from sophomore Sam Pritchard and junior Jacob Jones. Pritchard and Jones finished within two tenths of each other: 25:06.20 and 25:06.40, respectively. Korczynski had finished almost five seconds before (25:01.20).
The next runner after the Tribe duo was also from Northeastern, just three tenths behind Jones. The finishes were incredibly tight.
With six finishers in the top ten, the Tribe cruised past the Husky challengers. Graduate Spencer Tsai placed sixth, earning him all-CAA honors for the third consecutive season. Tsai was the only member of the Tribe to receive that distinction in the spring championship.
Redshirt sophomore Andrew Lagutta, redshirt sophomore Tyler Lipps and sophomore Patrick North finished eighth, ninth and tenth. Their finishes narrowly edged out Elon’s Aidan Tierney and Northeastern’s Patrick Cullen. Tierney also received all-CAA honors for the third consecutive season. All top 12 finishers were nominated to the all-CAA team.
Korczynski was named Most Outstanding Performer at the meet. He is Northeastern’s second runner to claim an individual title at the meet.
The Tribe will compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Southeast regionals on Nov. 12. They are currently ranked 15 in the NCAA Southeast region.
Women’s Cross Country
The Tribe scored 157 points and placed fifth in the CAA Championships this Saturday. The winner of the meet, Elon, claimed victory with 27 points, over Northeastern and Delaware with matching scores of 66. Northeastern placed second after a tiebreaker round with the Blue Hens, marking matching finishes in both meets.
Elon saw five runners in the top ten, with three of those coming in the top five. Phoenix Maria Ahm placed first. Northeastern scored three runners in the top ten, finishing eighth, ninth and tenth.
William and Mary did not finish until 14, when sophomore Kyra Holland crossed the line. As the 14th place finisher, she received placement on the all-CAA team. It marks her second straight year to do so. Her time of 22:32.60 was more than half a minute faster than the next Tribe finisher, freshman Arianna DeBoer.
All five scoring Tribe runners finished in the top 50. Freshman Lucy Young, sophomore Molly Coyle and freshman Annika Griggs placed 32, 42 and 44, respectively.
The Tribe will travel to Lexington, Kentucky to continue the post-season at the NCAA Southeast Regional meet on Nov. 12 as well.