SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Kasey Jones claimed the individual title to lead the Edinboro women's cross country team to its second straight NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championship on Saturday. The race was hosted by Slippery Rock and run at snowy Cooper's Lake Campground.

 

Edinboro finished with 51 points as Jones was joined in the top five by sophomore Emma Sullivan, who came in third. Bloomsburg was second with 60 points and Shippensburg came in third with 111 points. The top three team finishers qualify for Nationals.

"I don't think we could have designed the conditions any better for us," noted second-year head coach Rick hammer. "We've been training in those elements, unlike some of the more southern schools that have had nicer training conditions. Their growth and confidence in themselves in training is why they have been able to step up. They went from a group afraid to take risks and uncertain in their abilities to a group that was running one-two-three at one point in the race.

"It's been a change in confidence, not talent," Hammer continued. "The real strength is our senior leader as our fifth runner. Megan Maffett is the best in the region in terms of a fifth runner." 

Jones became a three-time All-Region runner after finishing seventh a year ago and 23^rd in 2012. The junior posted a time of 22:03.2 over the 6K course to easily out-distance second place finisher Lauren Lehman of Bloomsburg, who posted a time of 22:33.9. Jones was third at the recent PSAC Championships.

After finishing 14^th at the PSAC Championships and 41^st at the 2013 Atlantic Regional, Sullivan moved all the way up to third place with a time of 22:43.9.

All five Edinboro runners earned All-Region accolades. Anna Hosl came in 12^th with a time of 23:08.9, with Emily Ahrens 16^th (23:13.0).  Megan Maffett was Edinboro's final scorer, taking 19^th place with a time of 23:16.7.

Rebekkah Bond (50^th – 24:33.9) and Kaitlyn Daubert (107^th – 26:37.7) also ran for the Fighting Scots.

Edinboro will now get ready to run in the NCAA Division II national Championships set for Saturday, December 6 in Louisville, Ky.