Squad 2024 | Schedule 2024

LOCK HAVEN, Pennsylvania – The Slippery Rock University women’s cross country team has been awarded a repeat title of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champion this fall, according to the PSAC Preseason Coaches Poll announced Thursday.


The Rock received eight of the 17 first-place picks by the league’s head coaches to top the preseason poll. Bloomsburg received six first-place picks to place second in the poll and Shippensburg received the remaining three first-place picks to place third. East Stroudsburg and Millersville round out the top five.


Slippery Rock is coming off its best season in decades after The Rock won the 2023 PSAC title, their first title in women’s XC competition since 1995. SRU placed second at the Atlantic Region Championships and qualified as a team for the NCAA Division II National Championships.


The team will welcome back three All-PSAC runners from last fall and a total of eight runners who competed in the conference last season, but will look to replace three former All-PSAC runners with the departure of Chelsea Hunt, Katie Plassio And Madison Murtland.



Anna Igims returns for her final season after putting together a historic 2023-24 season for The Rock. She finished third at the PSAC XC meet in the fall, broke the SRU indoor record in the mile run, won four PSAC titles during the indoor track and field season and was named to the first team All-America in the steeplechase during the outdoor season.


Igims is joined by a pair of runners who earned All-PSAC honors last fall. Ruthie Hughes And Maddie Grillo. Hughes finished eighth at last fall’s conference meet, her career-best finish, and Grillo improved an incredible 98 spots from 2022 to finish 19th at the 2023 PSAC meet.


SRU welcomes again Lexie Wyantwho finished seventh at the 2023 PSAC meeting, along with Jennifer Cichra, Morgan Dennison, Sydney Pittovich And Lizzie Higginswho all attended the conference last autumn. Other returnees are Madi Koza, Hannah Burgoon, Skye Hacketthorn, Ava Holbrook, Lydia Valeriano, Grace Dahlke And Caitlin Mannwho all have college experience.


This group is joined by seven real newcomers with Katie Bosak, Carissa Flynn, Camryn Guffey, Birtukan Hartman, Tatiana Holt, Rachel Singley And Caitlin Willer will make their debut.


Slippery Rock will unofficially open the season this Saturday with the annual SRU Alumni Race on campus and officially open the competition season on the road at the Doug Watts Open in Edinboro on Sept. 7. The Rock will compete only four times during the regular season, with the highlight of the calendar being a trip to Lehigh University’s Paul Short Run on Oct. 5. The Paul Short Run is annually one of the largest collegiate cross country meets in the country.


The PSAC Championships will be held at Kutztown University on October 26. The NCAA Atlantic Region Championship meet will be held on November 9 in Lock Haven and the national championships are scheduled for November 23 in Sacramento, California.



2024 PSAC Women’s XC Preseason Coaches Poll (1st place votes)
1. Slippery Rock (8)
2. Bloomsburg (6)
3. Shippensburg (3)
4. East Stroudsburg
5. Millersville
6. Kutztown
7. Edinboro
8. Lock Harbour
9. California
10. West Chester
11. Seton Hill
12. Clarion
13. IUD
14. Gannon
15. Pitt-Johnstown
16. Mansfield
17. Shepherd

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