Geneseo, N.Y.--Freshman Jenn Randall (Cincinnatus/Cincinnatus) placed sixth overall to lead the 25th-ranked women's cross country team to a fourth-place showing at Saturday's NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship. Senior Amanda Boccio (Guilderland/Albany) and sophomore Heidi Baumbach (Lake Placid/Lake Placid) joined Randall on the all-region team. The Bombers' showing at the meet allows them to be considered for an at-large bid for the NCAA Championship.
Randall, Ithaca's top runner at every race this season, ran 22:13. She was the field's top freshman finisher. The second finisher across the line 30 seconds and seven spots behind Randall. Randall's performance guaranteed her a spot at Saturday's NCAA Championships, to be hosted by Baldwin-Wallace.
Boccio placed 30th overall, earning her first career all-conference accolade. She ran 23:10 over the six-kilometer course at Letchworth State Park. Boccio finished 30 spots better then she did at last year's regional meet.
Baumbach also earned all-region honors for the first time, placing 24th with a time of 23:20. She moved up three spots from her 2008 performance.
Senior Melanie McCormick (Champlain Valley Union/Williston, Vt.) finished just three seconds behind Baumbach, running 23:23 to place 37th overall. Classmate Bridget Hastings (Mercy/Colchester, Conn.) rounded ou the Ithaca scoring with a 56th-place showing. She ran 23:44.
Freshman Meghan Shanley (Conestoga/Berywn, Pa.) ran 23:56 to place 67th. Junior Catherine Ortiz (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) placed 24:09 to finish 78th.
Ithaca has finished in the top-four in the region in every season since 2000. They have qualified for the national championship in nine straight seasons.
The NCAA will announce the full field for the 2009 National Championship on Sunday.
Complete Results