MASCAC Women's Cross Country Championships Preview

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- More than a decade has passed since a Bridgewater State University women's cross country runner won consecutive Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference individual championships.

Molly Rouillard, who is in the school's Athletics Hall of Fame, finished first at the conference race three times in a row from 2010-12.

This weekend, BSU junior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) will be trying to earn back-to-back titles after finishing first in 2023 by 4.6 seconds over Shea Hamel of Westfield State University.

Cass and the Bears will take part in the MASCAC Championships on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Doyle Conservation Center in Leominster. The 5-kilometer race is being hosted by Fitchburg State University.

After winning that title with a time of 19:10.88, Cass went on to place 10th at the NCAA Division 3 East Regional and 145th out of 293 runners at the NCAAs.

The Bears finished second in the MASCAC a year ago to Westfield State, which has earned four championships in a row and 17 of the last 19 titles.

BSU won its only three team conference crowns from 2001-03.

This season, Cass has been the Bears' leading runner in all four competitions and won the Wheaton/Babson Season Opener at Attleboro.

Cass was the top Division 3 runner (and 19th out of 345) at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational and placed sixth out of 240 at the Keene State Invitational.

She was the first MASCAC runner to finish the Connecticut College Invitational, placing 69th out of 277.

"Naomi has been Naomi,'' said BSU coach Christine Kloiber. "She is light years ahead of where she was a year ago in terms of cross country.''

Having a conference championship on her portfolio will only serve as a booster for Cass going into the MASCAC race.

"When you've already proven to yourself that you can do it, that confidence grows,'' said Kloiber. "It shows what happens with the work you put in, and you want to continue with that.

"She's in a good spot in terms of what her capabilities are and knowing what she can do. ... Nothing's ever guaranteed, but she should be in a good spot.''

Cass was the first Bears' runner to win the MASCAC last season since Krysta Zbikowski in 2013.

BSU's other returning All-MASCAC runner is senior Lily Valcovic (East Taunton, Mass.) who finished in 20:14.94 to finish fifth overall last season.

Valcovic dealt with a hip ailment earlier in the season but is ready to go for the MASCAC race after competing at the Connecticut College race.

"She came back fantastic after missing a couple of meets,'' said Kloiber.

Seniors Kate Brown (Acushnet, Mass.) and Ana Imrie (Arlington, Mass.) also return after finishing 17th and 21st, respectively, at the conference meet a year ago.

The roster also includes graduate student Lisa Jaeger (Medfield, Mass.) and freshman Rhea Khanderia (Marlborough, Mass.).

BSU has only six runners this season, making it difficult to challenge Westfield State and the other contenders in the team standings.

"The women's team has been a little bit of a challenge,'' said Kloiber. "The women who have been racing have worked crazy hard and everyone is in good shape.

"We have the talent, but not the numbers. They've all had (personal bests) this year, which is great.''

Following the MASCACs is the Division 3 East Region Championships at Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Contoocook, N.H., on Nov. 16.