CROSS COUNTRY NOTEBOOK
Vermont cross country heads to Franklin Park, Massachusetts on Friday (Nov. 12) for the 2021 NCAA Northeast Regional. The event kicks off with the women's 6k at 11 a.m., followed by the men's 10k at noon. Official timing will be conducted by Millenium Running.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
Competing in the NCAA Regional is an experience like none other in college sports," said head coach Matt Belfield. "About 350 Division I schools, all competing at the same time in nine regions. It is the fairest system you can have to advance the best 31 teams to the final round. Missing it last year due to the pandemic makes this year even more exciting for our racers. Most have not had an NCAA experience yet, and we will get to line up next to national powers like recent men's NCAA champs Syracuse. Our America East schools generate All-Americans on a regular basis, so our men and women have had stiff competition already – so I expect them to be able to handle the intensity of the situation tomorrow.  We will have to be excellent to be in the top half of the 40 teams, so we'll see what we can do."
 
RACING FOR VERMONT
Seven Catamounts will compete on the men's side, and seven will compete on the women's side in Friday's NCAA regional. Wyatt Matyas, Owen Amsden, Andrew Crompton, Ian Denis, Christian Groff, Davis Cote, and Steven O'Driscoll will make up the men's squad. Jane Leighton, Lily Porth, Andie Cornish, Clare Kelly, Meaghan Alba, Sadie Holmes, and Mari Garza.
 
LAST TIME AT THE REGIONALS
Vermont will compete in the NCAA Northeast Regionals for the first time in 728 days on Friday. The UVM women posted their best finish since 2012, placing 13th in the regional at Buffalo. Meaghan Alba (21:17.3) and Jane Leighton (21:18.9) scored for the Catamounts. Ian Denis (31:21.3) and Andrew Crompton (31:31.2) competed for the Vermont men who placed 20th in the Northeast.
 
ELITE 18
Jane Leighton received the America East Elite 18 award on October 29 at the conference championships. The Elite 18 Award honor is presented to one student-athlete in each America East sport who best exemplifies excellence both in their sport and in the classroom. Leighton carries a 3.99 GPA as a senior majoring in Professional Nursing. The Amherst, New Hampshire native earned All-Conference honors at the America East Championships.
 
6K RECORD
The Vermont women ran one 6k this season and produced a program record at the Paul Short Invite on October 1. Jane Leighton posted a blistering 20:55.7 mark to become the first ever Catamount with a sub-21:00 time in the 6k.