2021 Liberty League Women's Cross Country Awards
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Nia Goddard, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Jr., Malvern, Pa.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute junior Nia Goddard has been selected as the 2021 Liberty League Runner of the Year. Goddard was the individual champion at the Liberty League championship meet, winning the 6,000-meter race in 23:19.7 – good for a 7.9 second victory over the runner-up. In her first season of collegiate cross country, Goddard recorded three individual victories. In addition to the Liberty League meet, she also finished first in the season-opening Ron Stonitsch Invitational as well as the Saratoga Invitational in back-to-back races. Goddard’s strong season continued with a seventh-place finish at the Paul Short Invitational (Women’s College Brown) in which she finished behind four Division I runners. At the NCAA Mideast Regional, Goddard was the top Liberty League finisher, earning all-region honors with a seventh-place finish (22:20.3) in a field of 172 finishers. At the NCAA Division III Championship, she took 45th of 292 (21:53.7), narrowly missing All-America honors.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Morgan Lee, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Jr., Edgewater, Md.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute junior Morgan Lee, competing in her first season of collegiate cross country, has been selected as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. A three-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week selection, Lee recorded three top-three finishes in six races this fall. She earned All-Liberty League first-team honors with a third-place finish (23:34.0) at the Liberty League Championship. Lee finished as the runner up at the Ron Stonitsch Invitational (19:11.8, 5K) in her first collegiate race. She followed up that performance by taking third at the Saratoga Invitational (23:19.0) in her second race. Lee capped her season by finishing 22nd (22:51.4) at the NCAA Mideast Regional, which was fourth-best among first-year runners and tops among Liberty League rookies.
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: St. Lawrence University – Kate Howard, Head Coach
The St. Lawrence University coaching staff, led by head coach Kate Howard and assistant coach Chad Dunham, was selected as the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year. Howard guided the Saints back to the top of the Liberty League for the second time in three seasons. St. Lawrence edged RPI by four points to capture the league championship for the first time since 2018 (the 2020 championship was cancelled due to COVID-19). Howard’s top seven finishers included four first-year runners – including three in the top ten – and three sophomores. A trio of rookies – Alli Sibold (fifth), Billie McCloskey (eighth) and Emma Palumbo (ninth) paced a young team with a promising future. The Saints completed their season by finishing sixth among 24 teams at the competitive NCAA Mideast Regional – the best finish among league teams at the meet.
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
1. Nia Goddard, RPI, 23:19.7
2. Sasha Allison, Vassar, 23:27.6
3. Morgan Lee, RPI, 23:34.0
4. Augusta Stockman, Vassar, 23:43.6
5. Alli Sibold, St. Lawrence, 23:44.9
6. Katie Cobos, RIT, 23:46.7
7. Hannah Yorkey, Clarkson, 23:51.0
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
8. Billie McCloskey, St. Lawrence, 23:55.9
9. Emma Palumbo, St. Lawrence, 24: 10.4
10. Olivia Watson, St. Lawrence, 24:13.6
11. Jillian Shea, Ithaca, 24:27.3
12. Rachel Rose, Ithaca, 24:31.9
13. Elizabeth Fawwaz, Clarkson, 24:32.4
14. Lauren Lobdell, Ithaca, 24:38.8
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION
15. Lindsay Scott, Ithaca, 24:43.4
16. Grace Brolly, RPI, 24:45.9
17. Paloma Demonte, Ithaca, 24:48.8
18. Jillian Lees, RPI, 24:50.8
19. Marian Draper, RIT, 24:51.9
20. Julia Tomanovich, Ithaca, 24:53.1
21. Meredith Garrity, Ithaca, 24:56.6
* All-Liberty League based on place finish at Liberty League Championship