Seahawk Women’s Cross Country Predicted to Finish Sixth in CAC

Fredericksburg, Va. – The St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s cross country team has been tabbed to finish sixth in the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Preseason Coaches Poll released Friday.

Complete CAC Women’s Cross Country Preseason Poll Release

The Seahawks tallied 17 points, three points ahead of seventh-place Frostburg State University. York College of Pennsylvania was picked by the conference coaches to three-peat as the CAC women’s cross country champions.

Last season, St. Mary’s notched won the Goucher College Cross Country Classic and finished second at the Hood College Open while picking up two other Top 5 finishes during the regular season. The Seahawks came in sixth at the 2017 CAC Championships.

This year’s roster boasts experience with the return of 14 letterwinners. Leading the veteran group is sophomore Lindsey Stevenson (Bel Air, Md./C. Milton Wright), who was St. Mary’s top performer in the last five meets of the season after transitioning from women’s soccer to cross country.

Stevenson notched a program record with a 22:57.13 at the Salisbury University Don Cathcart Invitational and posted the program’s best individual finish at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regionals, coming in 148th.

Sophomore Kara Taylor (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) had a strong rookie campaign as well as Taylor was the top finisher in the first three meets of 2017 and finished the season strong by placing as the second St. Mary’s finisher in three of the final four meets, including the NCAA Mideast Regionals.

Senior captain Marisa McCormick (Prince Frederick, Md./Calvert) was a scorer in all eight meets last fall while senior Lindsey Power (Glen Arm, Md./Notre Dame Prep), junior Sarah Jeffrey (Catonsville, Md./Catonsville), and sophomore Melody Raynaud(Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron) all represented the Seahawks at the NCAA Mideast Regionals.

The Seahawks begin the 2018 season on Saturday morning, at the Salisbury Sea Gull Opener.

The full preseason poll is listed below. First place votes are in parenthesis.

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By Nairem Moran · nmoran@smcm.edu