FAIRFAX, Va. – For the first time since 2011, the George Mason women's cross country team will begin the 2019 campaign ranked.
On Monday, the Mason women were ranked 15th in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association's (USTFCCCA) Southeast Regional Cross Country preseason rankings.
The Patriots return 11 letterwinners and four of their top six scorers - Síobhra O'Flaherty,
Khalilah Hamer,
Margaret Morgan and
Riley Freeland – from last year's Atlantic 10 Championship in which they placed sixth for their best finish since joining the A-10 in 2013. O'Flaherty, a sophomore from Carlow, Ireland, finished 15th to earn all-conference honors.
Mason also welcomes eight newcomers to the 2019 team – Vilde Våge Henriksen,
Kaitlyn Johnson,
Carina Garcia,
Emily Fitch,
Annabelle Eastman,
Audrey Corbet,
Sarah Francis and
Julia Ames.
The women were tabbed to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll with 133 points and two first-place votes. This marks the Patriots' highest expected finish since joining the league in 2013. Richmond received 173 points and seven first-place votes to lead the pack, followed by Dayton (159) and La Salle (149).
The Mason men and women's teams open the season this weekend at the Spider Invitational on Saturday at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville, Va.
