University of Delaware Athletics
Friday, October 27
Mechanicsville, Va.
10 AM
University of Delaware
vs
CAA Championships
Photo by: Mikey Reeves
Cross Country Aims for Historic Victory at 2023 CAA Championships
10/25/2023 10:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
MECHANICSVILLE, Va. – As the University of Delaware cross country team prepares to make its mark in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) history, anticipation is building for the 2023 CAA Cross Country Championships. Scheduled for Friday, Oct. 27, the championship will unfold from Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va., with William & Mary serving as the hosts of the meet.
Led by head coach Kenyetta Iyevbele, the Blue Hen athletes are ready to embark on a thrilling journey to Virginia, with ten members of the team, six of whom are entering the CAA championship for the very first time in their careers. With the momentum trending upward after a spectacular conclusion to the regular season at the Delaware Invitational on Oct. 13, the Blue & Gold are eager to improve upon their fifth-place finish from the previous year, where a pair of Blue Hen athletes earned coveted All-CAA Team honors.
Adding to the excitement, the Blue Hens are fortunate to have previously raced at Pole Green Park earlier this season, providing them with a crucial advantage - familiarity with the course that could tip the scales in their favor as the squad approach championship Friday. The collective goal is to surpass the previous best program finish of second place, a remarkable achievement that was secured in 2019.
Nina Sgambelluri and Molly Lashley were instrumental in Delaware's success at last year's CAA Championships, finishing as the third and fourth runners. Tiffany Herrera (50th place, 23:31.60), Marissa Dailey (54th place, 23:41.10), and Danielle Eshelman (61st place, 23:56.90) delivered exceptional performances, contributing significantly to the team's fifth-place finish. While Elon emerged as the reigning CAA champs for the fourth consecutive season, the return of CAA Women's Runner of the Year, Northeastern's Abigail Hassman, sets the stage for an exciting competition that Delaware is determined to be a part of.
Delaware's journey this season has been marked by success, competing in four regular-season meets. The campaign began in Mechanicsville, Va., where the team secured fifth place out of 16 teams at the Spider Alumni Open (Sept. 2). The standout performance featured 14 runners setting new 4K personal-best times.
In the most recent event, the Delaware Invitational held in the First State, the squad clinched second place with Lashley being the first Blue Hen to cross the finish line. She achieved a personal-best time of 22:40.5, an impressive improvement over her previous personal best of 22:52.4, set last year at the Penn State National Open. Eshelman (23:04.2) and Dailey (23:08.1) followed closely, securing fifth and sixth place, respectively. Lindsey Volkman completed Delaware's top-10 finishers, securing eighth place with a time of 23:19.9, while Stephanie Herrera rounded out the Blue Hens' scoring five with a time of 23:44.2, earning her 13th place.
The eagerly awaited 2023 CAA Championships will see Leah Clear, Carolyn Coletti, Dailey, Tiffany Herrera, Stephanie Herrera, Eshelman, Lashley, Hannah Smalley, Nicole Re, and Volkman represent the Blue Hens as they navigate the challenging 6K course at Pole Green Park. The race is set to commence at 10 a.m. Fans can follow the action here.
Led by head coach Kenyetta Iyevbele, the Blue Hen athletes are ready to embark on a thrilling journey to Virginia, with ten members of the team, six of whom are entering the CAA championship for the very first time in their careers. With the momentum trending upward after a spectacular conclusion to the regular season at the Delaware Invitational on Oct. 13, the Blue & Gold are eager to improve upon their fifth-place finish from the previous year, where a pair of Blue Hen athletes earned coveted All-CAA Team honors.
Adding to the excitement, the Blue Hens are fortunate to have previously raced at Pole Green Park earlier this season, providing them with a crucial advantage - familiarity with the course that could tip the scales in their favor as the squad approach championship Friday. The collective goal is to surpass the previous best program finish of second place, a remarkable achievement that was secured in 2019.
Nina Sgambelluri and Molly Lashley were instrumental in Delaware's success at last year's CAA Championships, finishing as the third and fourth runners. Tiffany Herrera (50th place, 23:31.60), Marissa Dailey (54th place, 23:41.10), and Danielle Eshelman (61st place, 23:56.90) delivered exceptional performances, contributing significantly to the team's fifth-place finish. While Elon emerged as the reigning CAA champs for the fourth consecutive season, the return of CAA Women's Runner of the Year, Northeastern's Abigail Hassman, sets the stage for an exciting competition that Delaware is determined to be a part of.
Delaware's journey this season has been marked by success, competing in four regular-season meets. The campaign began in Mechanicsville, Va., where the team secured fifth place out of 16 teams at the Spider Alumni Open (Sept. 2). The standout performance featured 14 runners setting new 4K personal-best times.
In the most recent event, the Delaware Invitational held in the First State, the squad clinched second place with Lashley being the first Blue Hen to cross the finish line. She achieved a personal-best time of 22:40.5, an impressive improvement over her previous personal best of 22:52.4, set last year at the Penn State National Open. Eshelman (23:04.2) and Dailey (23:08.1) followed closely, securing fifth and sixth place, respectively. Lindsey Volkman completed Delaware's top-10 finishers, securing eighth place with a time of 23:19.9, while Stephanie Herrera rounded out the Blue Hens' scoring five with a time of 23:44.2, earning her 13th place.
The eagerly awaited 2023 CAA Championships will see Leah Clear, Carolyn Coletti, Dailey, Tiffany Herrera, Stephanie Herrera, Eshelman, Lashley, Hannah Smalley, Nicole Re, and Volkman represent the Blue Hens as they navigate the challenging 6K course at Pole Green Park. The race is set to commence at 10 a.m. Fans can follow the action here.
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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
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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