Photo courtesy of Julia Cronin, Class of 1992

Waterford, Conn. - November 13, 2021 - Competing among the region's top competition, the Mount Holyoke College cross country team finished fifth overall out of 24 teams taking part in the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional Championship, hosted at Harkness Memorial State Park on Saturday afternoon. 

For the first time in program history, Mount Holyoke College had three student-athletes collect All-Region Honors which is earned by placing in the Top-35. The Lyons' fifth-place finish also marked the program's highest finish at an NCAA Division III Regional Championship, topping Mount Holyoke's seventh-place finish from 2019.

The Lyons scored 139 points on the day to finish fifth overall, while Smith (134) placed fourth and Amherst (102) finished third overall. Middlebury (99) was the runner up and Williams claimed the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional Championship title with 90 points.

Leading Mount Holyoke with a fourth-place overall finish for the 6k course was standout junior Lauren Selkin (Greenwich, Conn.) who ran a time of 22:00.7. Selkin's fourth-place finish is the highest individual finish for a Mount Holyoke student-athlete at a regional championship dating back to before the 2005-06 season. Selkin will now advance to compete at the NCAA Division III National Championship, which will be hosted at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky. on Saturday, November 20.

Finishing the 6k course next for the Lyons was senior Madeline Rieders (Arlington, Mass.) who took 14th overall with a season-best performance of 22:40.2 followed by classmate Hannah Rieders (Arlington, Mass.) who finished 15th overall also claiming a season best of 22:40.3. Selkin and the Rieders all earned All-Region Honors. Senior Simone Jacob (San Fransisco, Calif.) finished with a time of 23:38.5 followed by classmate Sydney Nash (New Hartford, Conn.) who clocked in a season best of 24:20.1. Rounding out the field for the Lyons was sophomore Bridget Hall (Arlington, Mass.) who finished with a course best of 25:22.6 followed by first-year Tessa Lancaster (Mansfield, Mass.) who crossed the line with a time of 25:29.5.  

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