RELEASE DATE: 9/13/06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Women's Cross Country Opens Season This Saturday

The Mansfield University women's cross country team enjoyed the most successful season in school history in 2005, a season that saw the Mountaineer women finish fifth in the PSAC championships as well as the NCAA Division II East Regional Championships. Improving on that success is the goal for 2006.

The Mountaineers return a strong core of runners but are notably missing one standout this season. Charity Walker, the most successful female runner in school history, has graduated and passed down the reigns to Rachel Hall. Hall often battled with Walker for the top spot over the last three seasons and will now be expected to step into the leadership role.

Hall comes in off a stellar outdoor track season that saw her qualify for the NCAA Championships in the steeplechase. She earned All-PSAC honors last season in cross country and finished 21st at the regional meet, running with an injury.

Returning this season to the Mountaineer roster are sophomore standouts Tricia Learn, Clarissa Correll, and Heather Wida. Learn, Charity's younger sister, was the third runner on the roster last year posting impressive finishes for a freshman in both the PSAC and regional meet.

Correll and Wida also turned in outstanding performances as freshman, closing the gap between the front runner and the fifth point scorer to only 1:27 at the PSAC meet. Both have returned to campus this season in better shape than last year and are improving constantly.

Learn, Correll, and Wida will be pushed by the return of Sarah Pinkowski, Robyn Ireland, and Kristin Weller. Pinkowski returns in the best shape of her career after a stellar summer of training and will compete for scoring positions. Seniors Robyn Ireland and captain Kristin Weller return as outstanding upper-class leaders, both in the best shape of their careers.

Junior Amanda Streeter was voted by the captains as having the best preseason camp and will add depth to the strength of the roster this season.

Joining the Mountaineer lineup this season are two immediate impact freshmen in Jessica Wagner and Christyna Cain. Both Wagner and Cain have far exceeded expectations during the preseason and both will compete for scoring positions on the team.

"It's a toss up right now," said head coach Mike Rohl. " We have such a solid core of women that we aren't sure who will be our number two runner and who will be our number 9 runner. The inner-squad competition can only make us stronger and bring our time gaps down."

Mansfield gained respect last season after improving from 10th in the PSAC in 2004 to finish fifth. That respect has carried over to this season as the Mountaineer women found themselves ranked fifth in the East Region preseason coaches poll.

After the first meet of the season was cancelled due to weather, Mansfield has yet to run a race. In the most recent coaches poll, the Mountaineers sit sixth, dropping only one spot without having run a race yet.

"It's great to see the program getting some respect," said captain Rachel Hall.

Respect is well deserved for the Mountaineer women. Hall and the 2006 Mountie women will kick off their season with hopes of running into late November and the post-season when they travel to Bloomsburg University this Saturday.

"We're all excited," said Rohl. "The women can't wait to open the season."

The women are scheduled to race Saturday, September 16th at 11:00am. For results, check back here at www.gomounties.com on Saturday afternoon.