University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Mark Campbell
Cross Country 2021 Season Preview
8/28/2021 10:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
NEWARK, Del. – It's official! We are one week away from the University of Delaware women's cross country team blazing the trails to open the 2021 campaign.
Following a shorter off-season than usual, as last spring's abbreviated season ended in March, the team was able to place fifth at the 2020 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship. Fourth-year head coach Ryan Waite will look to his returners to take the reins to help the team continue their climb up the CAA ladder in 2021.
Hailing from Staten Island, N.Y., Weir has been a top five team scorer over her four-year career in the Delaware uniform. She set a personal-best time of 21:17.5 in last spring's 6K conference championship course for a top-30 finish.
Capparell, a product of Hazelton, Pa. and Pidgeon, the Harriman, N.Y. native each claimed All-CAA honors after setting career-best times a season ago. Capparell crossed the 6K finish line in 20:14.5 to capture fifth place and Pidgeon followed with a time of 20:30.1 for a 10th-place finish.
Senior Devon Hoernlein and sophomore Hannah Lindgren will return in scoring roles for the Blue Hens after rounding out the team's top five finishers at the conference championship.
Waite welcomes a four-member recruiting class consisting of Marissa Dailey, Danielle Eshelman, Jordan Ormsby and Hannah Smalley all looking to make their debut this season.
The 2021 season gets underway at the Towson University Invitational at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, in Cockeysville, Md. from the Baltimore County Agricultural Center, an event the program finished in second place back in 2019.
The Blue Hens will compete in two meets in the First State starting with the Goldey Beacom Invitational on Friday, Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. in Wilmington, Del. from Carousel Park and then three weeks later host its annual invitational on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 10 a.m. in Newark, Del. from White Clay Creek State Park.
Delaware will also compete at the Battle at Beantown (Sept. 24), Paul Short Invitational (Oct. 1) and Pre-Nationals (Oct. 15). The CAA Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, Oct. 30 in Boston, Mass. hosted by Northeastern University. The NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional will take place on Friday, Nov. 12 in Bethlehem, Pa. hosted by Lehigh University.
BLUE HENS on SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on University of Delaware Cross Country/Track and Field, follow the Blue Hens via social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #BlueHens
Following a shorter off-season than usual, as last spring's abbreviated season ended in March, the team was able to place fifth at the 2020 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championship. Fourth-year head coach Ryan Waite will look to his returners to take the reins to help the team continue their climb up the CAA ladder in 2021.
"I am very optimistic about this upcoming season. We have a strong group returning who have championship experience, many of which have earned All-CAA honors in Cross Country and/or Track & Field," said Waite. "Last year's conference cross country championship was tough for us, mostly from circumstances outside of our control. But this year we seem to be healthy and headed into the right direction. We're hopeful that we will be back in the mix towards the top of the conference."
Leading a roster total of 21 blue and gold runners are graduate student Susanna Weir, senior Tina Capparell and junior Jessica Pidgeon.Hailing from Staten Island, N.Y., Weir has been a top five team scorer over her four-year career in the Delaware uniform. She set a personal-best time of 21:17.5 in last spring's 6K conference championship course for a top-30 finish.
Capparell, a product of Hazelton, Pa. and Pidgeon, the Harriman, N.Y. native each claimed All-CAA honors after setting career-best times a season ago. Capparell crossed the 6K finish line in 20:14.5 to capture fifth place and Pidgeon followed with a time of 20:30.1 for a 10th-place finish.
Senior Devon Hoernlein and sophomore Hannah Lindgren will return in scoring roles for the Blue Hens after rounding out the team's top five finishers at the conference championship.
Waite welcomes a four-member recruiting class consisting of Marissa Dailey, Danielle Eshelman, Jordan Ormsby and Hannah Smalley all looking to make their debut this season.
The 2021 season gets underway at the Towson University Invitational at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 4, in Cockeysville, Md. from the Baltimore County Agricultural Center, an event the program finished in second place back in 2019.
The Blue Hens will compete in two meets in the First State starting with the Goldey Beacom Invitational on Friday, Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. in Wilmington, Del. from Carousel Park and then three weeks later host its annual invitational on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 10 a.m. in Newark, Del. from White Clay Creek State Park.
Delaware will also compete at the Battle at Beantown (Sept. 24), Paul Short Invitational (Oct. 1) and Pre-Nationals (Oct. 15). The CAA Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, Oct. 30 in Boston, Mass. hosted by Northeastern University. The NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional will take place on Friday, Nov. 12 in Bethlehem, Pa. hosted by Lehigh University.
BLUE HENS on SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on University of Delaware Cross Country/Track and Field, follow the Blue Hens via social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #BlueHens
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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