Women's Cross Country Claims NCAA Auto Bid

Making history again this season, the Harvard women’s cross country team is headed to the NCAA National Championships for the first time since 2012.

After securing their first Heps title since 1985, the Crimson carried the momentum from their historic Ivy Championship victory to finish second at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships, its highest ever finish.

Competing in a deep field of the 40 top teams from across the Northeast, Harvard placed each of its five runners in the top 26 of the race. Leading the pack was junior standout Courtney Smith, finishing second overall with a time of 20:13.90 at the rigorous Van Cortlandt Park in New York City.

“I’m really proud of this team for not wanting things to be easy or getting discouraged when it’s hard but for working hard and enjoying the every day regardless of results so that we can be so happy when we achieve great things,” Smith said.

Following Smith, freshman Judy Pendergast finished in sixth place overall with a time of 20:38.00 and was the fastest freshman at the race, continuing a stellar season for the rookie.

Though eventual winner Providence College was able to slot its number two through five runners—the scoring contingent in cross country—before the Crimson’s third runner, Harvard was able to get all of its top-ive within he top-26.

Freshman Erin Dietz was 17th with a time of 20:57, followed by junior Elianna Shwayder in 20th with a mark of 21:08.30 and classmate Lisa Tertsch, who clocked in with a time of 21:14, in 26th

Throughout the season, the closeness of Harvard’s top runners have helped them push and pace each other. This weekend was no different, as the team was able to put together a spread of just over a minute between the first and fifth finishers. Only Providece posted a better spread.

“When Erin starts to make some good moves and I am sure to cover those moves. I have to be aware that they are happening and that it is crucial for me to run with her,” Shwayder said. “She helps put us in great positioning.”

Strong performances from all five Crimson women, helped the team secure second place overall as a team, again out running all of its Ivy rivals.

Harvard and Providence, who are currently ranked 3rd in the country by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll, will automatically represent the east coast at the NCAA National Championships as the top two regional women’s teams.

On the men’s side, sophomore Kieran Tuntivate was the sole representative for the Crimson. Tuntivate ran a historic race for Harvard, finishing 23rd with a time of 31:16.40, the best finish by a Harvard sophomore since 2008.

For finishing in the top-25 at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships, Smith, Pendergast, Dietz, Shwayder, and Tuntivate will all receive USTFCCCA All-Region honors.

“I think the reason qualifying for nationals feels so rewarding for this team is the patience. It’s the product of many weeks, months and evens years of commitment, doing things right, caring about each other and enjoying the process” Smith said. “ I think the harder it is to achieve something, the more you have to put in to achieve it, but the happier you are when you do.”

Currently ranked 18th according to the USTFCCCA, on November 19th, the Harvard women’s team will head Terre Haute, Indiana to compete on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the NCAA National Championship.

—Staff writer Rena Simkowitz can be reached at rsimkowitz@college.harvard.edu.