Four Teams and Two Individuals will Represent the SUNYAC at the NCAA Cross Country Championships

INDIANAPOLIS, I.N.- Selections have been announced for the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships being held in Louisville, Kentucky on November 19, hosted by Spalding University and the Louisville Sports Commission at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park. The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) will be represented by two of the thirty-two men's teams and two of the thirty-two women's teams as well as two of the fifty-six females that qualifed individually.

Men's Qualifying Teams:

Geneseo- The Knights won their third consecutive SUNYAC championship in men's cross country this year, giving them an automatic bid into the NCAA championship. During the regular season, the Knights, as a team, placed first in six of the meets they competed in. At the NCAA Atlantic Region championships, the Knights placed first for the second year in a row. They were led by standout junior Isaac Garcia-Cassani, who placed first overall in six meets, including the SUNYAC championship meet and a victory at the Atlantic Regionals. Currently, the Knights are ranked second in the nation, according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll (November 14). 

Oneonta- The male Red Dragons had a strong 2016 season as they won three meets and placed second in the SUNYAC championship. At the NCAA Atlantic Region championships, the Oneonta men placed fifth overall. They were awarded an at-large bid for the NCAA championship and are currently ranked twenty-sixth in the USTFCCCA poll.  

Women's Qualifying Teams:

Geneseo- The Knights had an exceptional 2016 season, winning four meets as a team and taking their sixth straight SUNYAC title. In the NCAA Atlantic Region championships, the Knights won for the second straight year. They received an automatic bid into the NCAA championships and are ranked third nationally.

Oneonta- After multiple top finishes as a team this season, the Red Dragons placed second in the SUNYAC championship and second in the Atlantic Region championships. They were able to secure a bid into the NCAA championship because the top two sevenperson teams are automatically qualified from each of the eight regions. Oneonta was ranked eighth nationally in the pre-championship USTFCCCA poll. 

Individual Qualifiers:

Mary Baughman- The Cortland senior garnered a first place finish during the 2016 season and placed fourth individually in the SUNYAC championship. At the NCAA Atlantic Region championships, Baughman finished fifteenth, propelling her to a spot in the NCAA championships as an individual competitor.

Lauren Perschetz- As a senior at Plattsburgh, Perschetz had an outstanding 2016 season. She had five top-ten finishes, including fifth place at the SUNYAC championships. Her performance at the NCAA Atlantic Region championships, where she placed eighteenth overall, gave her the opportunity to compete individually in the NCAA national championship.  

Live video of the NCAA championship is available here.