MEDIA, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's cross country team opened up its season with a third-place finish at the Bryn Mawr Invitational, as all seven of its runners logged personal bests.
Senior Riley Engel led the way for the Bears, who wound up just four points shy of runner-up Eastern. Swarthmore ran away with the team title, and the host Owls were fourth.
Engel was one of two Ursinus runners in the top eight, completing the 5-kilometer Rose Tree Park course in a career-best 20:56.2 to take fourth, a full eight seconds clear of the fifth-place finisher. Classmate Gabrielle Manto was eighth, turning in a PR of 21:38.1.
Senior Audrey Simpson was the third Bear across the line, and the third with a personal best. She completed the course in 22:14.8, good for 13th in a field of 102 entrants.
Freshman Paige LaCava clocked a 22:45.8 to land in 21st in her collegiate debut, and junior Ellie Stanley marked her own personal best with a 22:57.3 (27th). Rookie Lauren Ferguson placed 31st in 23:14.5, and sophomore Maddie McHugh took 41st in 23:44.5.
Ursinus continues its season at Kutztown's Division II/III Challenge on Saturday, September 15.