University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: NIC TERRY PRODUCTIONS
Cross Country Gears Up For Thrilling 2023 Season
8/30/2023 11:15:00 AM | Women's Cross Country
NEWARK, Del. – Ready…set...GO, the University of Delaware cross country team is set to blaze the trails in its 42nd season as the 2023 campaign kicks off on Sept. 2.
Delaware will look to build on an impressive 2022 season coach Iyevbele at the helm. Tasked to host two home meets and the CAA Championships last season, the Blue Hens finished the year competing in eight races, including placing top five in four meets while capturing two team victories in the First State. With a goal of improvement, Iyevbele's runners in the blue and gold finished in fifth place out of 12 teams at the 2022 CAA Championships as well has having the 302 represented at the USA Track & Field (USATF) U20 Cross Country Championships for the second-straight year.
The Veterans
Leading a roster total of 16 blue and gold runners are Marissa Dailey, Danielle Eshelman, Tiffany Herrera, Nina Sgambelluri and Lindsey Volkman. Sgambelluri and Molly Lashley were the Blue Hens' third and fourth runners that rounded out Delaware's scoring five at last year's CAA Championships.
Sgambelluri put together a stellar rookie campaign competing in five meets and represented the squad at 2023 USATF U20 Cross Country Championships where she posted a time of 21:34 to capture 15th place.
Herrera (50th place, 23:31.60), Dailey (54th place, 23:41.10) and Eshelman (61st place, 23:56.90) all put together strong showings at the conference championships to help the team capture the fifth-place finish. Volkman competed in four races in her first year with the Blue Hens including posting a career-best 6K time of 23:43.5 at the 48th Annual Paul Short Run.
Paging the 2023 Incoming Class
Iyevbele welcomes a six-member recruiting class consisting of a senior transfer from Virginia Tech Nicole Re. who is looking to make an immediate impact this season. Re ran a career-best time of 22:41.4 (6K-course) last season at Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational on Sept. 16.
Leah Clear, Libby DiMichele, Katie Kuhlman, Marissa Mauro and Anna Pryor will all be looking to make their debut this season.
The Schedule
With four regular-season meets on tap, the Blue Hens opens the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Spider Alumni Open, hosted by the University of Richmond from Pole Green Park in Richmond, Va with the 4K race starting at 9:50 a.m. The squad will be racing against 15 other women programs, including conference foe William & Mary.
The Blue & Gold will remain in the state of Virginia and race at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational, hosted by Virginia Tech on Friday, Sept. 15 from Buford Meredith Cross Country Course in Blacksburg, Va.
UD will close out the month on Saturday, Sept. 30 by previewing Lehigh University's Goodman Campus Cross Country Course 6K-course in Bethlehem, Pa., competing at the 49th annual Paul Short Run.
Two weeks later, the Blue Hens will then return to the First State to conclude the regular season by hosting its annual invitational on Friday, Oct. 13 in Newark, Del. from White Clay Creek State Park. The Women's 6K course is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Men's 8K slated for a 10:20 a.m. start.
Delaware will kickstart the postseason slate at the 2023 CAA Cross Country Championship, hosted by William & Mary in Mechanicsville, Va. on Friday, Oct. 27.
Lehigh University will play host to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Bethlehem, Pa. The 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18 in Charlottesville, Va. as the University of Virginia will serve as hosts.
The Blue Hens will look to have another athlete represent the Blue & Gold at the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships, which is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2024 in Richmond, Va.
2022 RecapPreseason has been going very well," said second-year head coach Kenyetta Iyevbele. "I am most excited about how we have been packing as a group. In terms of our depth, we are really strong this year. We are a younger team but I am excited because this gives the team an opportunity to grow together and push each other. I see improvement from last season, physically and mentally, I can see that the team had a strong summer which will help us build going into the Fall season. I am confident in us and can't wait for the season to kick off this Saturday.
Delaware will look to build on an impressive 2022 season coach Iyevbele at the helm. Tasked to host two home meets and the CAA Championships last season, the Blue Hens finished the year competing in eight races, including placing top five in four meets while capturing two team victories in the First State. With a goal of improvement, Iyevbele's runners in the blue and gold finished in fifth place out of 12 teams at the 2022 CAA Championships as well has having the 302 represented at the USA Track & Field (USATF) U20 Cross Country Championships for the second-straight year.
The Veterans
Leading a roster total of 16 blue and gold runners are Marissa Dailey, Danielle Eshelman, Tiffany Herrera, Nina Sgambelluri and Lindsey Volkman. Sgambelluri and Molly Lashley were the Blue Hens' third and fourth runners that rounded out Delaware's scoring five at last year's CAA Championships.
Sgambelluri put together a stellar rookie campaign competing in five meets and represented the squad at 2023 USATF U20 Cross Country Championships where she posted a time of 21:34 to capture 15th place.
Herrera (50th place, 23:31.60), Dailey (54th place, 23:41.10) and Eshelman (61st place, 23:56.90) all put together strong showings at the conference championships to help the team capture the fifth-place finish. Volkman competed in four races in her first year with the Blue Hens including posting a career-best 6K time of 23:43.5 at the 48th Annual Paul Short Run.
Paging the 2023 Incoming Class
Iyevbele welcomes a six-member recruiting class consisting of a senior transfer from Virginia Tech Nicole Re. who is looking to make an immediate impact this season. Re ran a career-best time of 22:41.4 (6K-course) last season at Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational on Sept. 16.
Leah Clear, Libby DiMichele, Katie Kuhlman, Marissa Mauro and Anna Pryor will all be looking to make their debut this season.
The Schedule
With four regular-season meets on tap, the Blue Hens opens the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 at the Spider Alumni Open, hosted by the University of Richmond from Pole Green Park in Richmond, Va with the 4K race starting at 9:50 a.m. The squad will be racing against 15 other women programs, including conference foe William & Mary.
The Blue & Gold will remain in the state of Virginia and race at the Virginia Tech Alumni Invitational, hosted by Virginia Tech on Friday, Sept. 15 from Buford Meredith Cross Country Course in Blacksburg, Va.
UD will close out the month on Saturday, Sept. 30 by previewing Lehigh University's Goodman Campus Cross Country Course 6K-course in Bethlehem, Pa., competing at the 49th annual Paul Short Run.
Two weeks later, the Blue Hens will then return to the First State to conclude the regular season by hosting its annual invitational on Friday, Oct. 13 in Newark, Del. from White Clay Creek State Park. The Women's 6K course is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Men's 8K slated for a 10:20 a.m. start.
Delaware will kickstart the postseason slate at the 2023 CAA Cross Country Championship, hosted by William & Mary in Mechanicsville, Va. on Friday, Oct. 27.
Lehigh University will play host to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11 in Bethlehem, Pa. The 2023 NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18 in Charlottesville, Va. as the University of Virginia will serve as hosts.
The Blue Hens will look to have another athlete represent the Blue & Gold at the USATF U20 Cross Country Championships, which is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2024 in Richmond, Va.
Race season is around the corner 👀
— Delaware Track & Field/Cross Country (@DelawareTFXC) August 4, 2023
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📅: https://t.co/r00JcmAs9G pic.twitter.com/KoPYI9huNj
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