Women's Cross Country Team Takes Third at Metropolitan Championship

Kanarkiewicz Finishes Fifth Individually

Kanarkiewicz was the Violets' top finisher.

The New York University women's cross country team posted a third-place finish at the Metropolitan Conference Cross Country Championship at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, NY, on Friday, Oct. 9.

It was the Violets' top performance ever at the annual meet, which consists of all NCAA Division I teams...except for Division III NYU.

"The team ran great," head coach Nick McDonough said. "We're starting to round out nicely as the runners become more confident in their ability."

The Violets totaled 91 points to finish behind only Columbia University (21 points) and Rutgers University (60 points). Rounding out the top five were Fordham University (122 points) and Iona College (130 points).

Joan Kanarkiewicz was again the Violets' top finisher. She grabbed fifth place with a time of 18:26 over Van Cortlandt's restructured 5,000-meter layout.

"Joan ran a terrific race," McDonough said. "She needed to get out near the front from the start and that's what she did."

The next Violet to hit the tape was Kirsten Keller, who took 10th place in 18:37.

"She is legit," McDonough said of his freshman runner.

NYU's other scorers in the race were Kerra Vick (34th place, 19:31), Maeve Evans (36th place, 19:34) and Laura Santoski (42nd place, 19:49).

Overall, 14 teams and 126 runners competed.

The squad returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Oberlin College Inter-Regional Rumble in Oberlin, OH.