Women's Cross Country Begins Season at Monmouth Kickoff

Saturday, September 1

West Long Branch, NJ

Rutgers University

Monmouth Kickoff

Photo by: AJ Mast

Women's Cross Country Begins Season at Monmouth Kickoff

Aug 30 | Women's Cross Country

Scarlet Knights Welcome Back 11 Letterwinner & Welcome Seven Newcomers in 2018

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The 2018 Rutgers women's cross country schedule gets underway on Saturday as the Scarlet Knights travel to the Monmouth Cross Country Kickoff at Thompson Park in Lincroft, New Jersey.

ABOUT THE SQUAD
The Scarlet Knights welcome back 11 letterwinners from last season and welcome seven freshmen "To The Banks".
Veterans Genevieve Cickavage and Jenna Sobieski enter their senior seasons in 2018. Last season, Cickavage captured two top 20 finishes at the season opening 6K Lehigh Invitational and 5K Metropolitan Championship.

All five members of the junior class – Emma Bergman, Kelsey Farbanish, Stephanie Mauer. Lou Mialhe and Nadia Saponara – set new 5K and 6K PR's a year ago. Saponara led the Scarlet Knight contingent to a third place finish at last year's Metropolitan Championships as one of five Rutgers runners to place in the top 20.

Four sophomores return to racing this season in Kaitlyn Bragen, Sara Gutter, Olympia Martin and Sara Gutter. Martin made her Rutgers debut last season as the top Scarlet Knights finisher in 2017's first three races at the Lehigh Invitational, Beantown Challenge and Paul Short Run.

Newcomers, all hailing from the state of New Jersey, include Erin Bertscha, Rachel Herrman, Alexandra Marko, Mackenzie Prezume, Brooke Riedy, Kayla Rosario and Chloe Wong.

LAST YEAR'S OPENING RACE
Rutgers kicked off 2017 with a second place showing at the Lehigh Invitational. Current sophomore Olympia Martin made her Scarlet Knight debut and was RU's top finisher at 22:16.48. Juniors Nadia Saponara and Emma Bergman also placed in the top 10.

UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knight women's cross country team gets an early taste of the upcoming Big Ten Championship course as Rutgers travels to the Greeno/Dirksen Cross Country Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersWomensTF) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/Rutgers_WomenTF) for all of the latest news and updates. Fans also receive timely information, including special offers and www.ScarletKnights.com. For additional updates, download the Rutgers Gameday App.

-RU-