Squeri and Walker receive top honors in Liberty League Women's Cross Country
2018 Liberty League Women's Cross Country Awards
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Andrea Squeri, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Junior, Downingtown, Pa.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute junior Andrea Squeri was selected as the 2018 Liberty League Runner of the Year. Squeri, who was consistently among the league's top runners all season, finished first among Liberty League competitors at the NCAA Championship meet, placing 51st among 279 competitors in 22:09.5. At the NCAA Atlantic Regional, she led RPI with an 8th-place finish out of 305 runners in 22:49.2, helping the Engineers to a second-place team finish among 44 schools. Squeri was also third of 115 finishers at the Liberty League Championship (22:19.5).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Ashley Walker, St. Lawrence, FY, Novi, Mich.
St. Lawrence University first-year runner Ashley Walker was chosen as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year – the seventh straight St. Lawrence runner to earn the award. A four-time selection as Liberty League Rookie of the Week, Walker captured the Liberty League Championship individual title, finishing in 22:15.1, helping the Saints to the team title. Walker also earned All-Region honors with a 22nd-place finish at the NCAA Atlantic Regional (23:15.1), finishing as the Saints’ third runner and helping the team to a third-place finish and a berth in the NCAA Division III Championship. She was the top first-year finisher at the Atlantic Regional.
CO-COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: St. Lawrence University – Kate Curran, Head Coach
St. Lawrence University head coach Kate Curran and assistant coach Andrew Kane have been recognized as Liberty League Co-Coaching Staff of the Year. Curran guided her team to the Liberty League title for the first time since 2014. The Saints had three of the top five finishers, placing all five scorers in the top 11 in compiling 29 team points, good for a 12-point victory over runner-up RPI. St. Lawrence also finished third of 44 teams at the NCAA Atlantic Regional, earning a berth to the NCAA Championship meet. The Saints recorded four meet victories during the season, including the Cardinal Classic (Plattsburgh), Ronald C. Hoffmann Invitational (SLU), Saratoga Invitational (RPI), and Liberty League.
CO-COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – John Lynch, Head Coach
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute head coach John Lynch and assistant coaches Kailyn Balzano and Ben Fazio have been selected as the Liberty League Co-Coaching Staff of the Year in women's cross country. Lynch's team continued to get stronger over the course of the season, culminating in a 16th-place finish at the NCAA Championship meet. After finishing a close second to St. Lawrence at the Liberty League Championship, RPI finished second among 44 teams and first among Liberty League schools at the NCAA Atlantic Region Championship, earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship. In addition to a pair of second-place team finishes, the Engineers also earned a meet victory at St. Rose while picking up third-place finishes at the Yellowjacket Invitational (Rochester) and Saratoga Invitational (RPI).
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM:
1. Ashley Walker – St. Lawrence, 22:15.1
2. Mary Terhune – St. Lawrence, 22:19.1
3. Andrea Squeri – RPI, 22:19.5
4. Autumn Grim – RPI, 22:20.9
5. Caroline Driscoll – St. Lawrence, 22:26.1
6. Maggie Bond – RPI, 22:27.8
7. Rebecca Schwan – RIT, 22:29.4
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM:
8. Sarah Rudge – Ithaca, 22:32.5
9. Hannah Martin – Vassar, 22:34.3
10. Leah Livernois – St. Lawrence, 22:36.5
11. Sarah Moon – St. Lawrence, 22:37.9
12. Maddie Strum – RPI, 22:39.8
13. Abigail Sullivan – Clarkson, 22:42.5
14. Annika Morrison – Ithaca, 22:46.2
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION:
15. Christian Prater-Lee – Vassar, 22:51.7
16. Isabel Caplazi – RPI, 22:55.8
17. Cameron Daddis – Vassar, 22:56.5
18. Laura Klang – RPI, 22:58.3
19. Nicole Mackey – RIT, 22:59.2
20. Jessica Squeri – RPI, 23:02.0
21. Megan Horn – Vassar, 23:06.9
* All-Liberty League based on place finish at Liberty League Championship