The culmination of a storied two-year career, State University of New York at New Paltz senior Kate Cochran (East Setauket, NY/Ward Melville HS) is just the sixth Hawk to qualify for the NCAA DIII Women's National Cross Country Championship in the 38 year history of New Paltz women's cross country. She will complete her career this Saturday at the 40th edition of the DIII Women's Cross Country Championship, to be run at Forest Akers Golf Course in Lansing MI. The weather at meet time is forecast for snow showers with temperatures in the mid-20's.
 
Cochran was the Hawks' top finisher for the 2022 season in seven of the seven meets she ran in. She scored three second place finishes — at the Vassar Ron Stonitsch Invitational
(6K-19:23.4), the Oneonta Airfield Invitational (6K-22:06.2), leading her team to a first-place finish at the meet; and the Connecticut College Invitational White (6K-22:37.3). She finished eighth in the Williams Purple Valley Invitational (6K-23:38.4) In the 3K Vassar Season Starter, she finished third (10:58.00).  
Cochran improved upon her 2021 sixth place finish at the SUNYAC Women's Championship Meet, striding into third place over the 6K course to clock in at 22:52.9 and earn her second consecutive All-SUNYAC honor, this time as a first team selection.
 
At the NCAA DIII Mideast Regional Qualifier two weeks ago, running in extremely muddy conditions over the 6,050-meter course, Cochran improved her 2021 standing by 40 places, finishing in 11th position with a time of 22:57.5 and qualifying as one of 294 runners chosen for the 2022 NCAA DIII National Championship meet. Earning All-NCAA DIII Mideast Region honors, Cochran joins past Hawks Nicole Wishoff (2011), Megan Reilly (2017), Emily Cavanagh (2018, 2019), Reed Williams (2019) and Matt Whitworth (2019) as national participants.
 
The top 40 finishers in the national championship earn All-American honors. While a top 40 finish is the proverbial long shot for Cochran given her best season time in comparison with other runners from across the country, a finish topping Megan Reilly's 84th place finish in 2017 would be a crowning touch to her outstanding SUNY New Paltz career.
 
The NCAA DIII Championship race is set to begin at 11 a.m.

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