The 2024 Liberty League Women's Cross Country major award recipients as voted by the conference's head coaches following the NCAA Championship—
RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Haley Schoenegge, Sophomore, Vassar College
Vassar sophomore Haley Schoenegge was selected as the Liberty League Runner of the Year after finishing among the top five in every race this year. Schoenegge capped off the 2024 season as the runner-up at the 2024 NCAA Division III Championship, crossing the finish line in 20:58.2. Schoenegge earned All-America honors and led the Brewers to their best NCAA team finish in program history, 20th. At the NCAA Mideast Regional, she recorded a second place with a time of 20:57.50; the Brewers were fourth and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship. Schoengge was the individual champion at the 2024 Liberty League Championship with a margin of victory of 6.8 seconds; her time of 20:59.6 was a championship record and course record en route to Vassar claiming its second consecutive league title. Schonegge, a five-time Liberty League Performer of the Week this season, also posted individual victories at Vassar’s Season Starter (3k; 10.32.6) and Ron Stonitsch Invitational (5k; 18:47.2). At the Lehigh Paul Short Run (White Race), she posted a career-best six kilometer time of 20:52.3, good for third. She was also second at the Wesleyan Invitational (21:20.1) and fourth at the Connecticut College Invitational (21:13.4).
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Erin vonHousen, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
RPI first-year Erin vonHousen was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. vonHousen was the top rookie finisher at the conference championship with a fourth place showing and a time of 21:56.1 as she helped the Engineers finish second. The six-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week produced four top 20 finishes in six events this fall. vonHousen was 16th at the NCAA Mideast Regional, good for third among first-year runners with a time of 21:56.4. The Engineers finished second and earned a trip to the 2024 NCAA Division III Championship. She closed out the season 78th at nationals (22:13.0); eighth among first-year runners, and RPI was 12th as a team. vonHousen posted a season-best time of 21:49.1 at Geneseo’s Mike Woods Invitational. She was also fourth at Williams’ Purple Valley Invitational (25:58.8) and 26th at Lehigh’s Paul Short Run (White Race; 22.05.7).
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute – John Lynch, head coach
The RPI coaching staff, led by head coach John Lynch, in his 14th year with the Engineers, was selected as the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year. Lynch directed the Engineers to a runner-up finish at the 2024 conference championship with 41 points and all five scoring runners earned All-Liberty League recognition. They were also the runner-up squad at the NCAA Mideast Regional (110 points) with a trio of All-Region honorees. The Engineers earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship and RPI made its eighth trip since 2009 to nationals. They finished 12th as a team with a pair of All-America runners leading the way in Jules Bleskoski (4th, 21:09.7) and Olivia Pisacano (30th, 21:27.8). The Engineers were 12th at NCAAs for the first time in program history and it was the team’s third-best finish in the event. RPI placed among the top five teams in six of seven events this season. Lynch is assisted by Karina Bolton, Ben Fazio, Allison Thayer, Hannah Tighe, and Austin Turner.
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
- Haley Schoenegge, Vassar, 20:59.6
- Jules Bleskoski, RPI, 21:06.4
- Olivia Pisacano, RPI, 21:47.1
- Erin vonHousen, RPI, 21:56.1
- Adelaide Nyhan, Vassar, 22:07.1
- Catherine Dacey, Union, 22:13.9
- Anna Kaigle, Vassar, 22:30.0
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
- Norah Reade, Vassar, 22:33.8
- Avery Blanchard, St. Lawrence, 22:34.6
- Charlotte Blake, St. Lawrence, 22:36.1
- Sierra Danieu, RIT, 22:45.2
- Jessica Goode, Ithaca, 22:47.6
- Adriana Cecchetelli, St. Lawrence, 22:55.1
- Claudia Wolf, RPI, 22:58.2
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION
- Cayley Swaim, Vassar, 22:59.9
- Kyla Eisman, Ithaca, 23:01.8
- Joy Petersen, Ithaca, 23:02.2
- Olivia Reid, RPI, 23:06.4
- Kathryn Arbegast, RIT, 23:13.7
- Noni Pattington, Vassar, 23:15.8
- Acadia Helfand, Vassar 23:20.2
* All-Liberty League based on place finish at the 2024 Liberty League Championship