Cordani and Terhune receive top honors in Liberty League Women's Cross Country
2017 Liberty League Women's Cross Country Awards
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Taryn Cordani, Ithaca College, Sr., Douglas, Mass.
Ithaca College senior Taryn Cordani was selected as the 2017 Liberty League Runner of the Year following a season in which she earned All-America honors for the third time. Cordani was the region’s top runner all season, earning United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Atlantic Region Runner of the Year after winning the Atlantic Region title in 21:24.3. She also won the Liberty League Championship in 21:26.1, setting a Vassar course record on the 6K course as she cruised to victory by more than a minute in helping the Bombers to their first league title. Cordani also won the Principia Cowbell Classic and recorded a 10th-place finish among 369 runners in a largely Division I field at the prestigious Paul Short 6K Gold Race. She was also named to the league's All-Academic Team.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Mary Terhune, St. Lawrence, FY, Novi, Mich.
St. Lawrence University first-year runner Mary Terhune was chosen as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year – the sixth straight St. Lawrence runner to earn the award. A three-time selection as Liberty League Rookie of the Week, Terhune earned All-Region honors with a 33rd-place finish at the NCAA Atlantic Regional (22:57.7), finishing as the Saints’ third runner and helping the team to a fourth-place finish and a berth in the NCAA Division III Championship. She finished 31st at the Liberty League Championship (24:18.4) and was the league’s top-placing rookie at both the Atlantic Regional and NCAA Championship meet.
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Ithaca College – Erin Dinan, Head Coach
Ithaca College head coach Erin Dinan and her staff earned Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors in women's cross country. In Ithaca’s first year as a Liberty League member, Dinan guided her team to the Liberty League title with 45 team points, edging second-place St. Lawrence (47) by two points. The Bombers had three of the top four finishers in Taryn Cordani, Sierra Grazia (2) and Denise Ibarra (4). Ithaca then went on to finish second of 41 teams at the NCAA Atlantic Regional, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. At the national championship, the Bombers earned a ninth-place finish, the best for the program since 2005 as Cordani and Ibarra earned All-America honors. Dinan is assisted by Michaela Cioffredi, Mary Baughman and Matthew Herbert.
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM:
1. Taryn Cordani, Ithaca - 21:26.1
2. Sierra Grazia, Ithaca - 22:27.0
3. Megan Kellogg, St. Lawrence - 22:40.7
4. Denise Ibarra, Ithaca - 23:03.9
5. Jaime Lord, RPI - 23:07.6
6. Leah Livernois, St. Lawrence - 23:16.1
7. Rebecca Schwan, RIT - 23:21.2
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM:
8. Karina Bolton, RPI - 23:26.9
9. Caorline Driscoll, St. Lawrence - 23:33.9
10. Ashley Leta, St. Lawrence - 23:37.1
11. Alexis Scott, RIT - 23:38.3
12. Katie Voegtlin, Vassar - 23:41.3
13. Andrea Squeri, RPI - 23:42.3
14. Maddie Sturm, RPI - 23:43.4
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION:
15. Maggie Bond, RPI - 23:44.6
16. Acadia Dinardo, Vassar - 23:49.9
17. Kristin Lynn, Ithaca - 23:52.0
18. Taylor MacEwen, RPI - 23:52.1
19. Sarah Moon, St. Lawrence - 23:52.5
20. Brooke Busa, RIT - 23:54.5
21. Amanda St. Clair, Ithaca - 23:58.4
* All-Liberty League based on place finish at Liberty League Championship