Women’s cross country runs to sixth national title, men place 21st

The Panthers finished their season the way they started it –– on top. The women’s cross country team took home their sixth NCAA win in 11 years, giving the school its 31st title since 1995, and the men finished their first-ever NCAA championships in a respectable 21st place overall. Coach Aldrich could not have imagined a better send-off for his final season.

“I have never been more proud of any team I have coached at Middlebury,” said Aldrich. “They set a goal at the start of the season, worked as hard as any cross country team ever has, believed in themselves and accomplished their goals.”

The women’s victory hinged on several key aspects of the race that the Panthers have honed all season. Coach Aldrich credits the depth of the women’s team, as well as their ability to run as a team and the 26-second spread between their first and fifth runners, as essential components of the team’s success. The Panthers won with 185 points, beating Washington and M.I.T for the title.

The first five Panthers across the line spanned the classes, with a first-year, a sophomore, two juniors and a senior placing for Middlebury –– a further testament to the depth of talent in the Panther squad. First across the finish line for the championship team was Colette Whitney ’14, a fitting end to a standout rookie season for the New Jersey native. Whitney finished with a time of 21:54, good for 24th place overall.

Behind her was Addie Tousley ’13 in 29th, rebounding nicely from an illness-plagued season to deliver a crucial finish for the team. Tri-captain Margo Cramer ’12 came in hard on Tousley’s heels, finishing 31st with a time of 21:58. They were followed by Hannah Meier ’11 in 47th, Claire McIlvennie ’12 in 54th place, Maddie Hubbell ’14 in 66th and Katie Rominger ’14 in 118th.

“For the women to win, especially in Terry’s last year was more than we could have asked for,” said Panthers’ fifth-place finisher McIlvennie. “It was truly a team effort. It was a hard race, with a lot of really strong teams, but together we got through it and at the end of the day, the strength of our pack, something we’ve relied on all season, paid off.”

McIlvennie was also excited to see the men make their historic appearance at the meet. “Having the full team, both women and men, out in Iowa was pretty special and just added to the excitement of the weekend,” she concluded.

The men finished the race with a score of 520, and the impressive showing at their first national meet was a testament to the team’s work ethic in practice.

“On the men’s side, Michael Schmidt ’12 has raised the bar with respect to what our men’s team has been able to accomplish in practice, and the heightened work ethic has resulted in a substantially faster team,” said Aldrich.

Schmidt, the lightening-fast Illinois native, led the team across the finish line in 34th with a time of 25:04. He was followed by a pack of Panthers finishing before the 26-minute mark –– Jack Davies ’13 in 96th (25:39), Jack Terrett ’11 in 110th (25:46) and Greg Krathwohl in 114th. Next across the line for the Panthers were Nate Sans ’14 in 166th, Taylor Sundali ’13 in 179th and Sam Miller ’12 in 216th.

Coach Terry Aldrich, who is retiring in December, was honored as National Coach of the Year in his final season with the Panthers.

“This season has been a dream come true for me in my final year. As one parent who made the trip to Iowa put it, ‘Hollywood could not have scripted your final season any better.’ It’s a season and a team I will never forget.”