Penguins Take Home Cross Country Championship

by YSU

Sunday, Nov 3, 2013 7:35 am

Youngstown - The Youngstown State women cross country team won its first ever Horizon League Cross Country Championship this Saturday scoring 36 points as they hosted this event at the Boardman Cross Country Course.

The Penguins placed three runners in the top five today with senior Anna Pompeo finishing second out of 94 competitors in the 5k race with a time of 18:02. Senior Samantha Hamilton finished fourth at 18:20 and freshman McKinisie Klim was fifth at 18:39.

This championship marks its 19th in the history of the YSU Cross Country and Track and Field program. This first-place finish for the women made YSU the best cross country program in the Horizon League with the YSU men being the runners up in this race as well.

"This was a great team effort by the women to step up at this meet and in these weather conditions to put forth their honest best and win today," Coach Brian Gorby said. "I want to give a big thanks to Coach (Nicole) Strollo and (Scott) Denham for working so hard. Also a huge thanks to Jim Fox for helping out with the setup of this event especially in the weather conditions."

The women beat UIC, which were the runners up in last year's Horizon League Championship, by 22 points, Oakland by 48 points, Detroit by 92 points, Milwaukee by 102 points, Cleveland State by 131 points, Valparaiso by 142 points, Green Bay by 143 points and Wright State by 160 points.

The YSU women had 5 finishers in the top 15 with junior Brittany Stockmaster placing 12th at 19:12, and right behind her was freshman Libby Rogenski finishing 13th at 19:14.

Three Penguins earned themselves a place on the all-league squads. Pompeo, Hamilton, and Klim secured a spot on the All-League First Team while Stockmaster and Rogenski earned a place on the All-League Second Team. Klim also received the Women's Freshman of the Year Award while Coach Gorby won the Women's Coach-of-the-Year Award.

Senior Monica Ciarniello gave a tremendous effort with having a strained hip and finishing among the top 25 placing 22nd at a time of 19:34 while missing the top 20 by just four seconds. Other Penguins to compete in the race were sophomore Megan Monte finishing 32nd at 19:46, junior Katie Heney who placed 53rd at 20:39, and sophomore Ashley Smith finishing 72nd at 21:34.

"These girls efforts couldn't be stressed enough with how hard they've been working, and it shows with all of them peaking today," Coach Gorby said.

Along with the men, the women will be competing next at the Great Lakes Regional in Madison, Wis.

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