November 6, 2022

Westfield, MA – The SUNY Westchester Women's Cross Country team enjoyed a series of school first-time experiences this year.  FIRST……, they scored as team.  Then they won a meet as a team, and notched their first NJCAA Region 15 Championship.  This earned them a national ranking for the first time.  And on Saturday, they competed in their first National Championship race. 

Coach Karim McFarlane was named the USTFCCCA North East Coach of the Year prior to the event for the program's quick rise from reinstated sport to its series of firsts this year. 

Mylene Smith ran a career best 21:23 on a 5k course, which placed her 29^th overall.  Vania Nerea Diaz Santos was second for the team, stopping the clock at 24:08, finishing 58^th.  Paula Camila Bermeo Chumbi was 3^rd for the Vikings with a time of 26:51. Irene Maris and Gianna Marziliano ran 28:53 and 30:31, respectively.  Both beat their personal bests by over 3 minutes. 

The team finished 9^th overall in the meet, one spot higher than their previous 10^th place national ranking.  The Vikings truly went from an upstart program to national prominence in just 3 months' time.  The team looks forward to continuing to build and develop even further in the future after laying such a strong foundation in their Fall 2022 campaign.
 
For complete NJCAA Division III Women's Cross Country National Championship Meet results, click here.  For a recap from USTFCCCA, click here.