Conference champion Jessie Church led the way with a 12th place finish with a time of 28 minutes and 17 seconds. She was followed by fellow freshman Ellen Haas, who took 14th place with a time of 28:35. Church and Haas earned second team USCAA All American honors. The strong performance by the women, guided the team to a score of 94 points, which edged out D’Youville by a single point to earn third place.

SUNY ESF won the women’s 6K championship led by Bryce Hopper and Cassidy Engleson, who finished in the top two spots. Hopper finished with a time of 24:51 while Engleston finished in 25:38.

Penn State Fayette earned second place with 47 points. The school had three women in the top seven, who earned first team All American honors.

Melody Ascioti was the third Smitty to finish. Ascioti finished with a time of 30:35 in 19th place.

Paul Smith’s Jessie Church approaches the finish line during the USCAA Cross Country National Championships on Friday, Nov. 12 in Virginia Beach. (Provided photo)

“This has been a great trio of freshmen who have led the team all season as they consistently finished in the top 10 to 25% each weekend,” Bobcats head coach Jim Tucker said in a statement. “Jessie has been dealing with a nagging injury since prior to the YSCC Championships, and through the work of the athletic trainer and her perseverance, she was able to run well enough to guide the team to a top three performance.”

Ellie Judice finished in 32:54 to claim 31st place, while Michelle Martineau rounded out the five point earners with a time of 41:56. Other Bobcat finishers include Alexa Adams (43:15), Awinita Stasilli (47:02) and Angela Flores (47:24).

“The women’s team has finished as high as fourth place as a team at USCAA Nationals in 2010 and 2011, but third place is the highest team finish for the women in program history,” Tucker said. “This team, from the first finisher to the last, they support one another from start to finish. This year’s team has fun together and are supportive of their teammates and their fellow athletes. They are a true breath of fresh air during these times when we need it most.”

On the men’s side, the Bobcats placed eighth overall in the USCAA National championships, which featured 15 different schools. SUNY ESF won the men’s race with 32 points and Warren Wilson took second place with 68 points. Fellow YSCC member New Hampshire Technical Institute took third place with 85 points, while Dine College from New Mexico took fourth with 129 points.

Captain Zack Sprott-Scribner completed the 8K course in 31:39 to pace the Bobcats. Spott-Scribner crossed the finish line in 27th place. The next two runners were John Thompson (32:10) in 35th place, followed by Brady Miller (33:20) in 39th. Connor Flynn finished in 35:23, followed by Nate Shader in 36:00 to round out the five scorers.

Paul Smith’s Issoufou Garba Hama had his best race of the season. He finished with a time of 36:47. The final three finishers for the Bobcats were Carson Wohlers (37:41), Camryn Weber (38:00), Ian Montgomery-Gerht (39:51).