The Blackburn College women’s cross country team opened their season in Elsah, Illinois, at the Principia Season Opener on Thursday, September 1. The team was one of five that competed in the 4k race on a hot afternoon at the North Farm Cross Country Facility. Blackburn was one of three SLIAC teams in the meet and finished in fourth place behind the host, third-place, Principia, and ahead of Webster University.
Team captain, Olivia Leemon, was the top finisher for Blackburn taking 18th place with a time of 22:38. Nicky Valverde, a newcomer to the sport, was the second Blackburn finisher at 27:06: Close behind were returner Liz Morris (27:17), newcomer Keeleigh Pilcher (28:10), and freshman Sarah Olson (29:26) to finish out the team scoring. Freshmen Michaela Moulton and Claudia Bennett also competed in their first college race.
Coach Al Sturgeon said, “We are a very young and experienced team, so it was especially important to get the opportunity to race. I am very pleased with how our women’s team competed, and even more proud of how they model our team values of hard work and encouraging one another. This season opener was a good gauge of where we are right now and a great motivator for where we want to go.”
The team’s next meet is on Friday, September 9, at Springfield, Illinois, at the 7th Annual Prairie Star Invitational.