By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University senior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) bids for a third straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference women's cross country championship this weekend.
Cass and the Bears will be at Stanley Park in Westfield, Mass., for the championship meet on Saturday at noon.
She won the title in 2024 with a time of 18:31.89 on a five-kilometer course in Leominster, Mass., after finishing first in 2023 in 19:10.88 in Devens, Mass.
Cass won by nearly 25 seconds a year ago after placing first by almost 22 seconds in 2023.
The last time a Bridgewater State runner won three women's championships in a row was when Molly Rouillard did so from 2010-12.
Cass is looking to become the first runner to finish first three years in a row since Jess Cardin of Westfield State University won four straight titles from 2014-17. Cardin is the only MASCAC runner to run the table with four championships.
Cass has been BSU's top finisher in all four meets this fall and enters the conference championship race after posting a personal-best time.
"She's had her best year ever so far," said Bears coach Christine Kloiber. "She's feeling good. She just keeps getting stronger and stronger."
Cass finished in a personal-best 21:36.77 on the six-kilometer course at the Connecticut College Invitational, taking part in the Caroline Grape '22 Memorial Blue Championship Race on Oct. 18.
Two weeks earlier, she was ninth out of 288 runners at the Keene State Invitational with a time of 21:56.20.
Now, Cass goes for three MASCAC championships in a row after finishing 26th as a freshman in 2022.
"It's tough," said Kloiber of winning three straight. "In this sport, you are just one cold away from a bad season because we race so little. That's the nature of the sport.
"Everything has got to go your way. She has had some good fortune. She stayed focused, stayed dedicated stayed calm under pressure. That's a lot of work.
"You do the physical training, but you have to work on the emotional control as well as the mindset to take advantage of any day that comes to you."
Cass, who has gone to the NCAA Division III Championships in back-to-back seasons, is in a good spot for a three-peat as her times continued to drop heading into the MASCACs.
"It'd be something tremendous that she could be proud of," said Kloiber of three straight wins. "Her freshman year was a learning experience and she grew from that. Each year she's just added to her skill set. She works hard and manages all the expectations she has for herself."
BSU has finished second in the team standings in each of the past two years to Westfield State.
The host Owls have won five MASCAC titles in a row and 18 of the last 20.
Sophomore Rhiannon Vos (Marstons Mills, Mass.), a transfer from Merrimack College, has been BSU's second runner this fall.
Vos finished eighth overall at the Connecticut College Invitational Open race.
"Rhiannon has had a a great first cross country season for us," said Kloiber. "She's been very strong and very consistent."
The next two runners have been freshman Olivia Pendleton (Yarmouthport, Mass.) and sophomore Olivia Downin (Hudson, Mass.).
"The Olivias have both been rock solid consistent," said Kloiber. "They've been a tremendous asset in terms of their partnership of working together and are looking very good."
Injuries or illness have slowed other runners like graduate student Lisa Jaeger (Halle, Germany) and sophomore Rhea Khanderia (Marlborough, Mass.) down, but the top four have been consistent.
"Everyone who has been racing has been fantastic," said Kloiber. "We've done well. We've had a little bit of bad luck with a couple of folks being sick or have nasty shins or cranky achilles. The folks who have had a chance to race have been doing great.
"I can't control what the other teams do (at the MASCACs). I know what we're capable of doing. Whatever they end up doing Saturday, I'm going to be proud of them. I know what they'll give, and it's everything they have."