(RESULTS) Milton, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz women's cross country team made program history at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championships Saturday. The Hawks had their best performance of all time, cementing a second overall team standing at the championship meet after registering three top-10 finishes and four in the top-19, with senior Emily Cavanagh and junior Cassandra Williams leading the way in third and fourth place, respectively.
 
"I think we had the best performance that this program has ever had and I am really proud of everyone," Cavanagh said after crossing with a time of 23 minutes, 4.3 seconds. "We were all positive out there. We all had our skeleton gloves on. It was exciting; it was good."
 
Due to weather conditions plaguing the Hudson Valley this past week, the SUNYAC course was re-directed to option B, resulting in a flatter service than the original course at the Hudson Valley Sports Complex. As a result, the race got out to a fast start with Cavanagh jetting up in front with SUNY Geneseo's Genny Corcoran and Mariellen Penzer.
 
 
"I felt really good. I was a little nervous in the beginning, just getting out and getting a good spot," Cavanagh said. "Their top girl was way out there for Geneseo, but I wanted to get a pace of my own and work off that."
 
Cavanagh stayed with Penzer for most of the race, while Corcoran developed a large gap to lead the group. Corcoran ultimately earned first with a time of 22:08.8 with Penzer following in second (22:56.4). Cavanagh finished strong and wasn't too far behind Penzer to earn her best standing at the conference meet, placing third with a time of 23:04.3.
 
"The race went out a little fast, so I was a little concerned with Emily having been pulled out, but she knows how to go out fast," said Hawks coach Aislinn Ryan. "She 's raced at nationals before, so that is not a bad thing that she is getting used to that and she handled it well, and so did everyone else."
 
Although led by Cavanagh and Williams, with the latter placing a career-best fourth at the conference meet with a time of 23:15, SUNY New Paltz had a strong day from top-to-bottom in the 6K race. Clara Flores-Reininger and Vanessa Morgan joined Cavanagh and Williams in earning All-SUNYAC recognition after placing 10th and 14th, respectively. Flores-Reininger solidified a Second-Team All-SUNYAC selection after crossing in 23:49.7, while Morgan ran her way to a Third-Team All-SUNYAC honor after coming in with a time of 24:11.6. Freshman Ripley Insalaco rounded out the Hawks' top-five, placing 19th (24.48.6). Kylee Kresge and Riley Loughlin both landed just inside the top-45, placing 41st and 44th respectively, with times of 26:31.5 and 26:37.1.
 
"I feel like it was the best-case scenario," Ryan said. "Everyone in our top-five felt pretty good, and of course you have those people who want more, like Ripley, but I think they went out there and everything worked out for the best. Course B is harder than it looks and at least they knew it was going to be like that having been training here."
 
On the men's side, SUNY New Paltz finished fifth overall with Conor Van Riper earning his first All-SUNYAC selection after placing 15th with a time of 26:22.0. Senior Jack Wilson grinded through a lingering season-long injury to place right behind Van Riper in 16th with a time of 26:23.7.
 
"I am really happy for Conor. I really wish Jack could of gotten it in the top-15 all-conference, but I know he gave everything that he had with his energy and where he was at, placing 16th in the conference that is nothing to scoff at," Ryan said.
 
Meanwhile, senior Matt Whitworth, who led the Hawks all year, got out to a good start and was within the top-10 for the majority of the race and was on pace to hit his goal of earning an All-SUNYAC selection. However, on the final stretch a lingering injury forced him to lose some speed and he fell back. He gutted out the last few yards and managed to earn points for his team, placing 26th overall with the help of Van Riper and Wilson cheering him across the finish.
 
Jake Meyers and Chris D'Antonio rounded out SUNY New Paltz's top-five as the two sophomores placed 31st and 52nd, respectively, with times of 27:17.1 and 28:17.1. Ryan Carrick and Ryan Tso clocked in one-after-another, placing 54th (28:21.1) and 55th (28:38.2), respectively.
 
"I'm glad Matt crossed the finish line and he still helped us score," Ryan said. "I know he would have been disappointed if I disqualified him by stepping in and we just have to be looking forward to regionals, and keeping our heads up for him. Jake ran strong — a lot of the guys did. I just think it was a hard effort and that is all you can ask for."
 
SUNY Geneseo placed first on both the men's and women's races, totaling 23 points each. SUNY New Paltz totaled 50 points in the women's race for second, followed by SUNY Cortland (66). For the men, the Hawks recorded 140 points to earn fifth behind SUNY Cortland (125), The College at Brockport (94), SUNY Oneonta (50) and the Knights.
 
Cassandra Williams, along with joining teammate Emily Cavanagh in the SUNYAC Hall of Fame following her performance Saturday, was also named as the Elite 20 recipient, which is given to the student-athlete who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level, while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers.
 
To view the SUNYAC Championship press release on the women's 6K race, click here.
 
To view the SUNYAC Championship press release on men's 8K race, click here.

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