Lock Haven, PA. – The Wheeling University Women's Cross Country team was back in action on Saturday, as they competed at the Lock Haven Invitational. It was a regional preview for the Cardinals, as they got to run the same course they will run at the 2023 NCAA DlI Atlantic Regional Championships. They're top two runners each PRed in the event as the Cardinals placed 31st as a team in the field.

Leading the way was Sydney Hambel, who placed 85th and the Field with a time of 23.06.2. It was a new PR effort for the sophomore, breaking her old PR by just over 20 seconds as she placed 15 among MEC competitors in the field. It was One spot lower than her finish at the 2022 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championships and the PR effort gives her momentum and she continues through the season. The other PR for the Cardinals came from fellow sophomore Gabby Baiano, It would take home a 138th place finish in the field. Baiano pr by just under a minute on the course, the same course she set her previous 6K PR of 24:41.1 a season ago. Hambel and Baiano each continue their strong 2023 seasons as they continue preparing for the 2023 MEC Championships.

Finishing third for the Cardinals was Junior Sophia Tomana, who plays 233rd with a time of 26:36.4. While it wasn't a PR effort for the junior, she did set her season best time by nearly two minutes as she continues to lower her times. The Cardinals were joined by a new face this week as track and field athlete Keala McCurry join the cross country team for this race and finished 275th with a time of 29:49.4. McCurry competed in what was her first ever collegiate cross country event and put up a respectable debut time. Rounding out the field for the Cardinals was sophomore Trinity Ortiz, who finished 284th with a time of 35:10.3.

The Wheeling University Women's Cross Country team returns to action on Saturday, October 7th, when they head to the Bill Lennox Cross Country Invitational, posted by Slippery Rock University.