The Villanova Wildcats won the Big East Women’s Cross Country Championship for a record 15th time edging Providence and Georgetown. The Big East title meet took place on a cold day in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Six Villanova runners won All-Big East honors.
The top finisher for Villanova was Bella Burda who finished 3rd of 89 participants in the race covering the distance in 20:19.4. The Wildcats took fifth, sixth, and seventh place to gain the needed points. Nicole Hutchinson took fifth place overall (20:38.7) closely followed by Lauren Ryan in sixth place (20:44.1) and Kaley Ciluffo in seventh turning in a time of 20:49.7.
Also garnering conference honors were Siofra Cleirigh Buttner running a time of 21:09.8 (18th place overall) and Katie Fischer, twentieth, running a 21:14.5. Six All-Conference honorees were the most for the program in 25 years.
The Wildcats last won the championship in 2011.
Villanova was in third place after the first 3000 meters, but along with Georgetown Hoyas were close to the race leading and defending champion Providence Friars. A strong finish over the second half of the race propelled the Wildcats to the top with 39 points.
Providence finished in second place with 46 points. Georgetown took third scoring 63 points.
Catarina Rocha of Providence won the individual crown in a time of 19:59.0.
Maria Seykora (21:14.5 – 21st place), Rachel McArthur (21:15.0 – 23rd place), Alex Harris (22:13.6 – 40th place), and Ann Campbell (22:29.5 – 47th place) also participated for the title winning Wildcats.
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