2003 Program Notes


 

The 2002 women’s cross country season was highlighted by a fifth place finish at the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship and an eighth place finish at the NCAA Regional Championship. Several individuals made significant improvements, and Katherine Creswell '05 finished the season with All-Region honors and a trip to the NCAA Championship. The introduction of the longer 6-kilometer distance at the championships worked to her advantage as she established the Bates record of 22:25 in the distance. Julie Dutton '04 joined Creswell as an All-State selection, leading the team to a second place finish at the State of Maine Championship.

 

The Wellesley Invitational proved to be the perfect tune-up for the NESCAC Championship. The team posted a narrow one-point victory over Wellesley and MIT with Dutton, Creswell, Kim Whipkey '06 and Holly Bales '06 all finishing in the top-10. At the NESCAC meet, only 18 seconds separated the top five Bates runners as the team surprised some nationally ranked teams to finish fifth. Kelley Puglisi '03, Beth Pagnotta '04 and Leah Drew '03 completed the top scoring effort along with Creswell, Dutton, Whipkey and Bales. At the NCAA Regional Championship, the same runners once again put in a close pack behind the 25th-place finish of Creswell. The team finished eighth, only 25 points away from a third team trip to the NCAA Championship.

 

2003 Outlook
The NCAA New England Regional Championship will be hosted by the University of Southern Maine at Twinbrook Recreational Area in Cumberland, the Bobcats home course.  Bates has the potential to qualify, with five of the top seven runners from the 2002 season returning. The close front pack of Creswell, Dutton, Pagnotta, Whipkey and Bales is back. Jessie Gagne-Hall '04, Pagnotta and Dutton will serve as captains of the 25-member team. An improved sophomore class of Meghan Helliesen, and Megan Hamilton along with two first-years may also challenge for positions among the top seven.

 

Top Photo (left to right): Katherine Creswell '05, Julie Dutton '04 and Kathryn Moore '07.
Bottom Photo: Beth Pagnotta '04