Returning to the course infamous for giving runners the "NESCAC rash" last year, the Bowdoin women faced their toughest competition of the season at the New England Division III Championships held at Connecticut College last Saturday. Although the day proved to be windy, the weather was a big improvement over last year's NESCAC Championships held on the same course.
But the weather was not the only improvement for the Bowdoin Women's Cross Country Team. Jumping from its 11th place finish last year, the Bears earned third overall this year with 127 points, just behind first place Amherst and second place Williams. The finish proved high enough to earn the Polar Bears an at-large bid for the Division III National Championships, which are being held this weekend at St. Olaf College in Minnesota.
In a field of 47 teams and 344 runners, the key to the team's success was that all seven runners placed in the top 100. Getting three runners in the top 17, Bowdoin also earned three All-New England awards, given to the top 35 finishers. First year Yasmine White led the Polar Bears to the finish, taking 14th. Only four seconds later, seniors Laura Onderko and Sarah Podmaniczky followed White across the line, taking 16th and 17th, respectively. Finishing 82nd in the same race last year, Podmaniczky cut more than two minutes from her 6k time from last year's Division III Championships.
"We've had some terrific improvements from one race to the next and from one season to the next, but Sarah's improvement is about the most amazing I've ever seen," said Head Coach Peter Slovenski. "She's a very intelligent runner, and she had a good plan to become a college all-star runner in her last race."
Leading Bowdoin's second pack into the finish chute, first year Christina Argueta turned in a strong performance finishing 36th overall, missing All-New England honors by just one place. A mere 10 seconds behind Argueta, Courtney Martin '09 crossed the line in 44th, rounding out Bowdoin's top five, while senior Courtney Eustace grabbed 49th, finishing nine seconds after Martin. Senior Amy Ahearn, using her 800m speed to outplace a Bates competitor, sprinted across the finish line for 100th overall.
The trip to nationals will be the first for the team since 2003.
"This team has had a lot of poise all season," said Slovenski. "We started off the season with some good races, but as the pressure increased, the team got better."
The women will travel to Northfield, Minnesota to compete in the Division III National Championships held at St. Olaf College on Saturday at 11 a.m.