There is now no doubt that the Tufts women's cross country team is not only a power among the New England Division III teams, but among the nation's top teams as well. The team placed 11th out of 24 schools at this Saturday's National Division III Championships in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Leading the way for the Jumbos were seniors Cindy Manning (17:32) and Caitlin Murphy (17:40). Manning and Murphy, who finished 22nd and 34th, respectively, will be honored as All-American athletes for finishing in the top 35.
Junior Leslie Crofton (17:56) crossed the finish line shortly after Murphy. Crofton, who ran with Murphy for much of the course, was able to finish in record time despite taking a fall during the race. Sophomores Heather Ballantyne (18:51) and Jennifer Edelmann (18:55), junior Molly Hobey (18:59), and senior Tiffany Davis (19:03), along with Manning and Murphy, all raced their personal best times.
"We all peaked at the right time," Edelmann said.
One of the Jumbos' greatest advantages this weekend was their relative anonymity. Although both Manning and Murphy have been to Nationals in the past, the team as a whole has never gone that far. Its performance in last weekend's qualifier at UMass-Dartmouth marked the first time this season that the Tufts women showed themselves to be a division leader as opposed to just a strong team. Since it was the first National Championship for five of the seven women, there was a possibility of choking among the toughest competition in the country. However, these Jumbos not only managed to keep their heads in the game, but also to exceed all expectations.
"At first people doubted that we could hold it together," Murphy said, "but we proved that we could do it."
Going into the race, Tufts was ranked 16th in the nation. Other than national prominence, the Jumbos were also competing for another distinction - if Tufts, as well as NESCAC teams Williams and Middlebury, all finished in the top 16 at Nationals, the NESCAC would earn a fourth spot to next year's Nationals. The Jumbos knew that they could expect more from themselves and set their goals higher. Their 11th place finish not only displayed the team's strength, but it proved the strength of the New England region as a whole.
"Our team focused and performed," coach Branwen Smith-King said. "We represented the New England region."
The women's performance, although a result of the team's mental toughness, was also furthered by the support it received from having the men's team with them in Wisconsin, along with the support of the many non-running teammates who either flew or drove out to Wisconsin to cheer their teammates on.
Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of Saturday's performance was the way in which seniors Tiffany Davis, Cindy Manning, and Caitlin Murphy were able to end their final cross country season at Tufts.
Davis, who was abroad last season, was able to grab a top-seven spot for herself at the ECAC Championships on Nov. 8. She went to both the qualifiers and to Nationals, proving to be an invaluable asset to the team.
From the beginning of the season, Manning has led the team in every competition. She consistently challenged her teammates to match the strength and determination that allowed her to earn the honor of All-American.
Murphy, who was suffering from injuries in the beginning of the season, was able to pull it together and with the support of her teammates, earned the distinction of All-American as well.
"These girls have worked so hard and sacrificed so much," Smith-King said. "They deserve this in their senior year."
Fortunately, Crofton, Hobey, Ballantyne and Edelmann will be able to bring their experience and taste of Nationals to next year's team. The team has definitely earned a new respect in its region, as well as nationally. These women have much to celebrate.
"We're psyched to go back, to do it again and to do it better," Ballantyne said.
