Race recap

Delaware Ends Season Strong at NIRCA Nationals

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The Delaware Club Cross Country team concluded their season at the 2024 NIRCA Nationals on Saturday, November 9th, at the hilly Hershey Parkview XC Course in Hershey, PA. Despite the difficult course, Delaware athletes embraced the lively atmosphere, capping off their season with strong performances and emotional finishes.

The day began with the Women’s Junior/Senior 6k, where senior Hannah Pash led the Blue Hens, crossing the finish line in 29:30. Pash celebrated a strong ending to her cross-country career. Senior Leah Goodman, battling back from illness, finished her last race in 32:27. Senior Aine Grubb wrapped up her cross-country journey in 33:27, marking an emotional end to her season. Seniors Emily Sposato (34:50) and Amanda Ciaramella (35:10) worked together throughout the race, pushing each other to finish their final collegiate races on a high note.

In the Men’s Junior/Senior 8k, senior Caden MacHenry led Delaware with a time of 34:32, closing out his senior season. Junior Liam Trageser followed with a strong effort of 36:54, while senior Joe Raziano wrapped up his cross-country career with a time of 39:40. Junior Ian Levine also had a strong finish, completing the race in 45:03.

Delaware’s men’s and women’s teams both earned spots in the championship races after impressive performances at Regionals. The Women’s Championship 6k was led by senior Lauren Pollock, who ended her incredible season with a standout time of 25:57 on the tough Hershey course. Sophomore Claire Merchant followed with a strong performance, finishing in 27:02, highlighting her success this season. Junior Jade Barrett crossed the line in 27:23, concluding another consistent season. Freshman Zoe Morawski (27:56) and sophomore Kate Kershaw (28:07) crossed the line back to back with respectable times. Sophomores Marleigh Ballard (28:32) and Natalie Greger (28:45) rounded out Delaware’s top seven with notable performances to conclude their sophomore seasons.

In the Men’s Championship 8k, junior Brady Sheaffer led for Delaware with an impressive time of 27:09, concluding his dominant season. Junior Evan Diefenbeck followed closely with a strong finish in 28:08. Freshmen Sebastiano Vandoni (28:41) and Michael Colavito (28:57) closed their standout debut seasons with impressive times, showcasing their potential and promising future. Junior Dave Kelly (29:14) broke 30 minutes on the difficult course, while junior Josh Pawlik rounded out the team, finishing a successful season in 30:55.

Delaware’s underclassman women’s 6k delivered more notable performances on the challenging course. Sophomore Alli Hartman led the Blue Hens, crossing the line in 28:38. Sophomore Erika Danysh followed, breaking the 30-minute mark with a time of 29:51, while Greta Bretz was close behind at 30:00. Sophomore Anna Callaghan ended her sophomore season with a time of 31:13, and freshman Caroline O’Neill rounded out Delaware’s top five with a solid finish of 31:58.

In the underclassman men’s 8k, sophomore Sean Simonini had a breakout race, leading Delaware with a time of 31:44. Sophomore Dylan Aks showed his hard work paying off, finishing next at 31:53. Freshman Aiden Loy was not far behind, crossing the line in 31:56, while freshman Max Gillen impressed with his time of 32:26. Sophomore Cole Donnelly rounded out Delaware’s top five underclassman men with a strong finish of 32:41.

A notable mention for Coach Mark Keese and junior Jack Pelczar, who ran the open 6k and crossed the line together in 33:03 creating a core memory for both of them and the team!

Although Delaware’s cross-country season has come to an end, the team is already looking ahead to the winter and spring track seasons!

Full results can be found here.

Senior Aine Grubb during her race.
Senior Caden MacHenry during his race.
Our 2024 NIRCA Nationals team!

Blue Hens Exceed Expectations at DeSales Invitational

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Delaware Club Cross Country continued its successful season at the DeSales Invitational, where both the men’s and women’s teams finished 6th overall, competing against Division II and Division III schools. Despite rolling hills, our athletes performed exceptionally well, achieving personal records as they continue into the second half of the season.

The men’s 8k kicked off the meet, and junior Brady Sheaffer continued his strong season, finishing 4th overall with a personal best time of 26:31.50 and securing an award! Sophomore Dave Kelly made an impressive 8k debut in 28:06.80, securing 31st place and 2nd on the team. Freshman Michael Colavito finished within the top 40 with a breakout time of 28:16.20. Freshman Sebastian Vandoni was next for the Blue Hens placed at 29:17.10. Junior Josh Pawlik achieved his second fastest time just under 30 in 29:59.30. Sophmore Ryan Healy had an impressive personal best of over a minute in 30:01.30. Junior Evan Diefenbeck rounded out the Delaware top seven in 30:02.70.

The women’s 6k followed and did not fall short of impressive performances. Senior Lauren Pollock led the Blue Hens with a strong 20th-place finish, setting a personal best time of 25:11.10, also earning an award! Sophomore Claire Merchant was next for Delaware placing in the top 25 with a time of 25:43.30. Freshman Zoe Morawski delivered a solid performance, clocking in at 26:41.50. Sophomore Kate Kershaw achieved a new personal best, crossing the line at 27:09.20. While sophomore Marleigh Ballard maintained her consistency finishing 5th on the team with her time of 27:45.80. Sophomore Natalie Greger followed closely after clocking in at 27:53.70. Rounding out the top Delaware women, sophomores Anna Callaghan and Carly Curnutt finished strong with times of 28:57.30 and 28:59.30, respectively.

With personal bests and strong performances all around, the team is looking forward to a championship season. Delaware Cross Country will continue its season this Saturday, October 19th, as they head to Lehigh University for the NIRCA Regionals!

Full results can be found here.

Kate Kershaw smiling through her race.
Josh Pawlik working hard.

Men’s Team Secures Strong Second Place; Women’s Team Finishes Third at Delaware Invitational

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Delaware Club Cross Country made the short trip to White Clay Creek State Park on September 20th, to compete in the Delaware Invitational. Alongside the University of Delaware Women’s Cross Country team, the Blue Hens faced a tough field and a challenging course as they aimed to perform well on their home turf. Continuing their strong performances this season, Lauren Pollock and Brady Sheaffer once again led their teams, with the women’s team finishing third overall and the men’s team taking second.

Leading the women’s 5k for Delaware, was senior Lauren Pollock achieving a course personal best, finishing in 28th place with a time of 21:17.80. Sophomore Claire Merchant continued her success this season, finishing next for the Blue Hens in 22:14.90. Junior Katie Burke followed closely behind with a time of 22:35.80, and junior Jade Barrett finished right after in 22:40. Freshman Zoe Morawski made a solid debut at White Clay, clocking in at 23:00.20. Rounding out the top seven was sophomores Kate Kershaw in 23:02.20, and Marleigh Ballard in 23:06.60. Everyone’s efforts contributed to the women’s team finishing strong in third place against strong competition.

In the men’s 8k, junior Brady Sheaffer had another impressive performance placing 3rd overall with a time of 28:25.0. Following was Junior Evan Diefenbeck in a respectable 29:15. Freshman Sebastian Vandoni continued his successful season by securing 8th place in 30:03.5, closely followed by freshman Michael Colavito in 9th with a time of 30:04.8 finishing top 10. Juniors Josh and Evan Pawlik showcased their competitive spirit, finishing 16th and 17th, respectively, with times of 31:49.0 and 31:52.0. Sophomores Ryan Healy and Sean Simonini finished 18th and 19th in 32:10.0 and 32:22.8 respectively both placing in the top 20 overall. With their hard work paying off, the men’s team secured a strong second-place finish, showcasing their talent on their home course.

Delaware’s cross-country runners will continue to train and head to DeSales University on October 12th to continue their competitive season!

Full results can be found here.

Sebastian Vandoni mid-race.
Zoe Morawski finishing strong.

Blue Hens Shine at 48th Gary P. Lister Bottle & Cork 5K

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UD Club XCTF opened their 2024 season at the 48th Gary P. Lister Bottle & Cork Ten Miler/5K in Dewey Beach, Delaware, on Saturday, September 7, 2024. The team exceeded expectations, with many athletes delivering impressive performances.

Junior Brady Sheaffer had an exceptional race, defending his title and taking first place overall with a winning time of 16:33.8 in the 5K. Freshman Michael Colavito started his collegiate career strong with a second-place finish and a time of 17:16.3, while graduate student Michiel Van Eyck secured third in 17:22.2. Freshman Sebastiano Vandoni placed fourth with a respectable time of 17:32.4, and sophomore Ryan Healy followed in fifth at 18:03.9. Seniors Sean Bernardo (18:12.4), Michael Anderson (18:33.2), and junior Josh Pawlik (18:34.0) also secured top ten finishes, showcasing the depth of the men’s team.

On the women’s side, sophomore Ella Maletta led the pack, placing first overall in the 5K with a time of 20:36.6, successfully defending her title. Sophomore Claire Merchant closely followed in second with a time of 20:44.8, while senior Lauren Pollock secured third place, finishing in 20:48.7 and shattering her personal best. Sophomore Maddy Neyra took fourth with a time of 21:49.4, followed by Susan Kuhn in fifth with 22:00.3. Freshman Zoe Morawski finished sixth with a time of 22:05.1. The Blue Hens continued to dominate, with strong finishes from sophomores Kate Kershaw (22:11.8), Samantha Paez (22:55.1), Carly Curnutt (23:22.7), Marleigh Ballard (23:22.7), and Allison Hartman (23:22.7), all placing within the top ten.

In the 10-mile race, junior Evan Diefenbeck dominated, winning by six minutes with a time of 58:47.6. Senior Nick Smith also delivered a strong performance, finishing seventh overall with a time of 1:08:05.5.

An honorable mention goes to all of our Delaware runners who competed, the freshmen for completing their first collegiate race, and our sprinters for crushing this 5K!

Our cross-country team looks ahead to next week’s official season opener on September 14th at the DC Invite in Derwood, MD!

Full results can be found here.

Women’s team before the race.
Maddy Neyra smiling to the finish!
Brady Sheaffer leading the race.
Post-race team beach day!

Last One Fast One at Paul Kaiser Classic

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For the final meet of the season, the Delaware Club Track & Field team traveled to Shippensburg, PA, to compete in the annual Paul Kaiser Classic. Despite the challenging weather conditions, the Blue Hens showcased outstanding performances, filled with new personal bests and team records. Emotions were high as we celebrated our seniors and their remarkable achievements in their final season.

Freshman standout Autumn Williams led the charge in the Women’s 100-meters dash, finishing just 17th overall with a time of 12.95 seconds. Freshman Amanda Desenchak followed closely, clocking in at 13.83 seconds, while senior Sam Radinsky concluded her last 100m race with a time of 14.07 seconds. Sophomore Grace Wertheimer showcased her hurdling skills in the Women’s 100 Hurdles Preliminaries, securing 23rd place with a time of 19.26 seconds. Meanwhile, on the men’s side, Daren-James Seals continued to impress in the 100-meters, securing 14th place with a respectable time of 11.34 seconds, marking the second-fastest time in club history.

The Women’s 4 x 100m Relay Team A, featuring Sam Radinsky, Amanda Desenchak, Autumn Williams, and Rilee McMahan, achieved a respectable 10th place with a time of 53.40, improving their time that sits first in club history. In the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay, Team A, comprising Shane Isacson, Kurt Krummenacker, Daniel Toms, and James Winston, delivered a solid performance, securing 7th place with a time of 46.58.

The rain did not stop senior Natalie Pinto from having an impressive last collegiate 3k Steeplechase race. Pinto secured 12th place overall with a time of 14:07.90, improving her 7th place spot on the all-time list by a vast 23 seconds. Freshman Cole Donnelly continues to improve in the Men’s 3k Steeplechase securing 14th place with a time of 11:21.10, moving to 7th all-time, while freshman Nik Anna secured 15th place with a time of 11:27.26 placing just behind Donnelly on the performance list.

The Women’s 1500-meter race had an abundance of personal bests as Junior Lauren Pollock set the stage for Delaware setting a new personal record with a time of 5:38.35 and placing within the top 50. Junior Leah Goodman trailed closely, nearly matching her personal best with a time of 5:47.01 after making a comeback from injury. Freshman Kate Kershaw achieved her new personal record of 5:48.26 closing out the top 3 Blue Hens. In the Men’s 1500-meters, freshman Liam Hutchinson impressed with a solid performance, securing 34th place with a time of 4:30.69, while sophomore Evan Pawlik secured 43rd place with a time of 4:43.95.

Freshman Anna Callaghan continues her success in the Women’s 800-meters, earning 31st place with a time of 2:34.37. Natalie Pinto closed out her impressive collegiate track career with a time of 3:09.17. Sophomore Dave Kelly displayed his endurance in the Men’s 800, securing 12th place with a remarkable time of 1:56.5, ranking 5th all-time, while freshman Devan Wasserman made his 800m debut running 2:10.1. Senior Ryan Lazev concluded his inspirational collegiate career with his final individual race in the Men’s 400 meters, clocking in at 54.44 seconds. Sophomore Spencer Wheeler secured a place in the top 50 with a time of 57.01 seconds.

Amanda Desenchak maintained her momentum in the Women’s 200-meter race, claiming 50th place with a time of 29.25 seconds. Senior Sam Radinsky ended her collegiate career on a high with a time of 29.64, improving her time on the all-time list. In the Men’s 200-meters, Daren-James Seals continued to impress, finishing 19th with a time of 23.19 seconds.

In the Women’s 3k race, Lauren Pollock continues to break out, placing 6th overall with an impressive time of 12:03.16, marking a 21-second personal record and advancing her to 10th place on the performance list. Kate Kershaw also displayed improvement, securing 7th place with a new personal best time of 12:15.71.

In an electric Men’s 4 x 400m Relay, Team A, comprising Ryan Lazev, Devan Wasserman, Spencer Wheeler, and Dave Kelly, showcased their talent, securing 6th place with a time of 3:32.18. This achievement stands as the fastest time in club history, excluding teams comprising former D1 runners.

In the Women’s Long Jump, freshman Maya Morefield advanced to 7th on the performance list with a distance of 4.25 meters. Sophomore Lianna Greenstein closely followed, with her mark of 4.16 meters. Greenstein ends her successful season in the Women’s Triple Jump, earning 7th place overall with an impressive distance of 10.61 meters. Freshman Anna Callaghan showcased her throwing skill in the Women’s Discus, securing 43rd place with a season-best throw of 18.88 meters.

In the Men’s Long Jump, freshman Emmanuel Carreno leads Delaware with a jump of 5.03 meters. Senior Josiah Taylor marked his final jump with a distance of 4.82 meters. John DiOssi demonstrated his strength in the Men’s Shot Put, securing 8th place in team history with a throw of 12.08 meters. Sophomore Michael Anderson represented Delaware in both the Men’s Discus and Javelin, achieving distances of 17.87 meters and 34.47 meters, respectively.

The Paul Kaiser Classic marks the end of an incredible spring season for Delaware. As the season comes to a close, the team anticipates summer training to gear up for what’s to come in the upcoming cross-country season in the fall.

Full results can be found here.

Sam Radinsky after an incredible senior season.
The current fastest 4x400m team in club history.
Natalie Pinto racing her last 3k steeplechase.