South Hadley, Mass. - September 25, 2019 - After an impressive start to the 2019 season, the Mount Holyoke College cross country team has been slotted No. 8 in the latest United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Regional Rankings, announced on Tuesday afternoon.

This marks the first time in the program history that the Lyons have broken into the USTFCCCA Regional Rankings, as Mount Holyoke College has finished either first or second in the first three races of the 2019 season. Under the direction of head coach Chris Kibler, the Lyons started the season with a second-place finish out of nine teams at the Early Bird Invitational before claiming the Jim Sheehan Memorial Invitational championship, which consisted of seven other teams. 

This past weekend, Mount Holyoke College finished second among 37 institutions competing at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational, as the Lyons posted a team average time of 18:59.73, the best of the entire field. Mount Holyoke College also defeated WPI and Brandeis, which were both ranked in the Top 10 of New England, as well as St. Anselm, Assumption, New Haven and Franklin Pierce of Division II.

Up next, Mount Holyoke College will head to Franklin Park in Boston, Mass., the site of the 2019 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championships, and will compete in the Codfish Bowl on Saturday, September 28, beginning at 12:30 p.m.

For the latest updates on Mount Holyoke College Athletics, follow the Lyons on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.