Women's Cross Country 25th Anniversary Team Announced by Patriot League

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The Patriot League Women's Cross Country 25th Anniversary Team was announced on Friday with nine schools represented and six that placed at least three honorees on the squad, led by Bucknell with five honorees.

The team members are listed below by school with each athlete's years of competition in the Patriot League. Each school that participates in women's cross country selected 25 players in the voting for the 25th Anniversary Team, and could not vote for its own student-athletes.

American: Keira Carlstrom (2002-05); Octavia Rinehardt (2008-11); Samia Akbar (2001-02)
Army West Point: Catherine Gaffigan (1991-94); Jessica Jones (1996-99); Ashley Urick (2002-05); Erin Miller (1993-96)
Boston University: Rosa Moriello (2013-14)
Bucknell: Becki Marshall (1998-01); Julie Sweitzer (1995-98); Theresa Dennis (1999-02); Leanna Nastase (2003-06); Carla Graytock (1996-99)
Colgate: Betsy Cunningham (1993-96); Elise DeRoo (2008-11); Stacy Marion (2007-10); Molly DeMark (1996-99)
Lafayette: Megan Smith (1993-96)
Lehigh: Elizabeth Weiler (2012-present); Gretchen Repasky (1990-93); Jen Schappert (2003-06)
Navy: Jess Palacio (2008-11); Annie-Norah Beveridge (2011-14); Amy Watson (2005-08)
Fordham: Lauren Gubicza (1990-92)

Each of the 15 student-athletes who have won individual titles at the Patriot League Women's Cross Country Championship made the 25th Anniversary Team, with three honorees that won the race three times and four others that won a pair. The 25 honorees have also combined to earn 73 All-Patriot League honors, with five honorees who earned All-Patriot League status in each of their four seasons. Twenty-four teams which won the Patriot League title featured at least one member of the 25th Anniversary Team.

The Patriot League is releasing 25th Anniversary Teams throughout the month of August for each sport that has been sponsored by the League since it became an all-sport conference beginning in the 1990-91 season. In addition to the 25th Anniversary Teams, coverage throughout the 2015-16 season will focus on former student-athletes and top stories in the history of the Patriot League.

More information on the Patriot League Women's Cross Country 25th Anniversary Team members is included below, with the honorees listed alphabetically. All seasons listed designate the player's years of competition within the Patriot League.

Patriot League Women's Cross Country 25th Anniversary Team

Samia Akbar, American (2001-02) – Akbar led the Eagles to the first of two consecutive Patriot League titles by winning the individual medal at the League Championship as a senior in 2002. She was a first-team All-Patriot League pick in each of her two seasons in the League and also qualified for the NCAA Championship as a senior, with a 60th-place finish that stands fifth in League history in the race.

Annie-Norah Beveridge, Navy (2011-14) – Beveridge opened her career by winning the Patriot League Rookie of the Year award and earning second-team All-League status in helping Navy win the Patriot League title in 2011. The next season, she won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship and led the Mids to a repeat crown while also going on to finish 116th at the NCAA Championship. Beveridge added a third All-Patriot League honor with a first-team spot in 2013.

Keira Carlstrom, American (2002-05) – Carlstrom is one of three individuals to win the race at the Patriot League Cross Country Championship in three consecutive seasons, doing so from 2003-05 while also earning first-team All-League honors in each of her four seasons. Carlstrom helped lead the Eagles to the Patriot League title as a freshman and sophomore. She is also the most decorated Patriot League women's cross country runner on a national level as a three-time All-American. She finished sixth at the NCAA Championship in 2005, 16th in 2003 and 17th in 2004 for the three best results in League history. Carlstrom was also a three-time Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as an Academic All-American.

Betsy Cuningham, Colgate (1993-96) – Cunningham won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship in 1995, and earned All-Patriot League honors in each of her final three seasons.

Molly DeMark, Colgate (1996-99) – DeMark earned All-Patriot League honors in her final three seasons for the Raiders from 1997-99, helping Colgate to a third-place finish at the League Championship in her last two years.

Theresa Dennis, Bucknell (1999-02) – Dennis earned first-team All-Patriot League status in each of her four seasons for the Bison, and helped her team win three straight League titles from 1999-01. Dennis also qualified for the NCAA Championship in 2001 with a 73rd-place finish.

Elise DeRoo, Colgate (2008-11) – DeRoo won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship in both 2009 and 2010, leading Colgate to its lone League title in the latter year. She was an All-Patriot League selection in her final three seasons and also won the Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 2010 and 2011, which led to her being selected as the Patriot League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for both 2010-11 and 2011-12. DeRoo came in 100th place at the NCAA Championship in 2010.

Catherine Gaffigan, Army West Point (1991-94) – Gaffigan won the Patriot League individual title in back-to-back seasons in 1993 and 1994, and led Army West Point to its first overall team crown in the latter year. She was a two-time All-Patriot League selection who also made it to the NCAA Championship as a senior with a 64th-place showing. Gaffigan earned the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award as both a junior and senior.

Carla Graytock, Bucknell (1996-99) – Graytock earned All-Patriot League status in her final three seasons for the Bison, and helped Bucknell win the Patriot League title in both 1998 and 1999.

Lauren Gubicza, Fordham (1990-92) – Gubicza dominated the early years of Patriot League cross country as she won the individual title at the first three League Championships from 1990-92. Gubicza led Fordham to the first two Patriot League titles in 1990-91 before a runner-up finish in 1992. She also excelled academically, winning the Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 1991 and 1992 and going on to claim the Patriot League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor for both the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. Gubicza earned third-team Academic All-America honors both years. She qualified for the NCAA Championship in 1992 and posted an 88th-place showing.

Jessica Jones, Army West Point (1996-99) – Jones won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship as a freshman in 1996 while leading Army West Point to a third-consecutive title. She made the All-Patriot League team again as a sophomore and led the Black Knights to another crown, and finished with a third All-Patriot League nod as a senior.

Stacy Marion, Colgate (2007-10) – Marion burst on the scene as a freshman when she won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship in 2007. She also ran on Colgate's Patriot League title-winning squad as a senior in 2010.

Becki Marshall, Bucknell (1998-01) – Marshall stands as one of the top runners in Patriot League history, as she won the individual title at the League Championship in three consecutive seasons from 1999-01 and earned first-team All-League honors in each of her four years. Her performances helped the Bison win the Patriot League title in each of her four seasons, and Bucknell become the only Patriot League team to qualify for the NCAA Championship with an appearance in 1999. Her 96th-place showing was the best for the Bison in the race. Marshall was also a three-time Patriot League Women's Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and earned the Patriot League Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 2000-01.

Erin Miller, Army West Point (1993-96) – Miller earned All-Patriot League status in each of her final three seasons, and helped lead Army West Point to the Patriot League title each time.

Rosa Moriello, Boston University (2013-14) – Moriello left her mark in just two seasons in the Patriot League, winning the individual title and leading the Terriers to the team crown in both of her League Championship appearances the past two years. Moriello also qualified for the NCAA Championship as a senior and posted an 87th-place finish.

Leanna Nastase, Bucknell (2003-06) – Nastase won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship in 2006 while also leading Bucknell to its second straight League title and qualifying for the NCAA Championship, where she placed 94th. She earned All-Patriot League honors in her final three seasons, with the first-team status in the last two as the Bison were crowned Patriot League champions.

Jess Palacio, Navy (2008-11) – Palacio had a standout career that included three All-Patriot League selections (2008, 2010-11) and winning the League's individual title as a senior in 2011. Her performances helped Navy win the League title in her freshman season and again as a senior. Palacio capped her career by finishing in 164th place at the NCAA Championship in 2011.

Gretchen Repasky, Lehigh (1990-93) – Repasky became the first four-time All-Patriot League selection as she earned the distinction while competing in the League's first four seasons from 1990-93. She led the Mountain Hawks to their lone League title in 1992 before the team finished as runner-up by just one point the following season.

Octavia Rinehardt, American (2008-11) – Rinehardt was a four-time All-Patriot League selection, earning second-team honors as a freshman and senior and first-team status as a sophomore and junior. She also qualified for the NCAA Championship in 2010 with a 125th-place finish.

Jen Schappert, Lehigh (2003-06) – Schappert was a three-time All-Patriot League honoree as she earned the distinction from 2004-06. She also finished in 123rd place at the NCAA Championship in 2005 and was named Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2006.

Megan Smith, Lafayette (1993-96) – Smith won All-Patriot League honors in consecutive seasons from 1993-94, and again as a senior in 1996. She helped the Leopards to their lone Patriot League title as a freshman in 1993.

Julie Sweitzer, Bucknell (1995-98) – Sweitzer won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship in both her junior and senior season, helping lead Bucknell to its first League title in the latter campaign in 1998. She was a three-time All-Patriot League selection and finished in 84th place at the 1997 NCAA Championship. Sweitzer also excelled off the course as a three-time Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as an Academic All-American as a senior.

Ashley Urick, Army West Point (2002-05) – Urick was a three-time All-Patriot League selection as she earned the honor as a freshman and sophomore and again as a senior. She was also part of Army West Point's Patriot League championship team as a junior.

Amy Watson, Navy (2005-08) – Watson won the individual title at the Patriot League Championship in 2008 to lead Navy to its first outright League title after the Mids shared the crown with Bucknell the previous year. Watson was a first-team All-League honoree on both of those championship teams for Navy. She also qualified for the NCAA Championship as a senior in 2008 and came home with a 153rd-place finish.

Elizabeth Weiler, Lehigh (2012-present) – Weiler became the second Patriot Leaguer to earn All-America recognition when she finished in 38th place at last year's NCAA Championship. She was the first Lehigh runner to earn the honor. Weiler has earned All-Patriot League status in each of the past two seasons and was the runner-up at the 2014 League Championship. She enters her senior season at Lehigh in 2015.

Army West Point Athletics

Women's Cross Country 25th Anniversary Team Announced by Patriot League

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