VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (November 7, 2019) – Fresh off their first North Atlantic Conference (NAC) championship on Saturday, the SUNY Delhi women's cross country team have made the trip down to Virginia Beach to race in the USCAA National Championships. The 6K event takes place Friday at 10:00 a.m. as the Broncos look to capture their first USCAA national title and improve upon their third-place finish from last year.

2019 Season Review

• Won two regular-season meets, including defeating Hartwick, 22-34, in a 4K season-opening dual meet on Aug. 30, followed by the 5K Bronco Classic on Oct. 8.
• Captured their third NCAA conference title in the last four years by winning the 5K NAC Championships Saturday at Northern Vermont Lyndon. Five Broncos posted All-NAC finishes to win the team crown with 29 points, 19 points ahead of the pack. Sophie Stewart, Arielle Moheimani, Katerina Salcedo and Shyanne Lawton took spots three through six, respectively, for First Team honors, while Mersaide Dibbell anchored the team scoring with an 11th-place mark for Second Team accolades.
• The Broncos' lone 6K challenge of the regular season was at SUNY Geneseo on Sept. 28, where they placed 14th in a highly-competitive, 21-team field with a 26:04 average.
• Freshman runner Sophie Stewart was named the NAC Rookie of the Year, while head coach Robb Munro was honored with NAC Coach of the Year.

Historically Speaking...

• The Broncos posted their highest-ever finish at the USCAA National Championships last year with a third-place finish. The Delhi women won two national titles in the NJCAA era in 1999 and 2004.
• Arielle Moheimani, Katerina Salcedo, and Mersadie Dibbell return from last year's USCAA bronze-medal squad. Moheimani and Salcedo look to improve upon their Second-Team finishes from 2018. Junior Jewel Pignetti returns to the national championship course since 2017 after sitting out last year's race due to injury.
• The Broncos have seen their USCAA success translate to the NCAA conference level, capturing two American Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championships in 2016 and 2018, and most recently their NAC championship on Saturday.

The Runners

Sophie Stewart – Freshman (Newark Valley, NY / Newark Valley)

• USCAA Runner of the Week and four-time NAC Rookie of the Week selection
• 2019 All-NAC First Team after finishing third at 23:38.3

Arielle Moheimani – Junior (Homer, NY / Homer)

• Bronco of the Week selection
• 2019 First Team All-NAC after finishing fourth at 23:50.3
• 2018 USCAA Second Team All-American
• Career at USCAA's: 2018 – 12th, 25:25.25 / 2017 – 23rd, 26:00.17

Katerina Salcedo – Sophomore (Binghamton, NY / Binghamton)

• 2019 First Team All-NAC after finishing fifth at 24:08.6
• 2018 USCAA Second Team All-American
• Career at USCAA's: 2018 – 11th, 25:15.71

Shyanne Lawton – Freshman (Chenango Forks, NY / Chenango Forks)

• 2019 First Team All-NAC after finishing fifth at 24:14.0

Mersadie Dibbell – Sophomore (New Berlin, NY / Unadilla Valley)

• Bronco of the Week selection
• 2019 Second Team All-NAC after finishing 11th at 24:48.3
• Career at USCAA's: 2018 – 26th, 27:20.09

Jillian Hernandez – Freshman (Warwick, NY / Warwick)

• Placed 18th at 2019 NAC Championships with a time of 26:17.9

Mary Lyons – Freshman (Hawthorne, NY / West Lake)

• Placed 19th at 2019 NAC Championships with a time of 26:27.5

Jewel Pignetti – Junior (New Windsor, NY / Cornwall Central)

• Career at USCAA's: 2017 – 58th, 28:52.98
• Missed last year's USCAA Championships due to injury