The William Smith College cross country team turned in a strong showing at the Houghton Highlander Invitational on Saturday, with nine of ten runners posting season-best times in the 6K race.
Senior Hope Johnson led the Herons with a standout performance, finishing 32nd out of 188 runners in 23:45.1 — the eighth-fastest 6K in program history and a 32-second improvement on her previous best.
“I’m really proud of how our team competed and supported one another today,” Head Coach Tyler Wilkie said. “This was a true breakout performance across the board, and it showed the strength of our group. The confidence and momentum we gained today will be huge as we head into championship season.”
Sophomore Megan Ingraham followed Johnson, finishing 95th in 25:30.7, trimming 25 seconds off her season best. Zoe Kusyk (108th, 25:48.1), Salma Menkari (109th, 25:49.8), and Joan Reichert (123rd, 26:19.1) rounded out William Smith’s top five.
Misericordia captured the team title behind overall winner Madison Hedglin (21:14.6). William Smith placed 12th, just 10 points behind Mansfield and 27 ahead of Nazareth.
The Herons will return to competition Saturday, Oct. 18, when they host the annual Cross Country Only Conference Championships at Seneca Lake State Park. William Smith has won the event three straight years, with Johnson entering as the defending individual champion.
