WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University women's cross country team placed 18th, while the men put in a competitive performance, finishing 22nd, at the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The women tallied a score of 494, edging out University of Indiana on a tiebreaker, while the men's squad finished the afternoon with 528 points, 56 points behind 21st University of Portland. Additionally, sophomore Maggie Donahue earned All-America honors with her 32nd-place finish.

Georgetown Women's Results (18th of 31, 494 points)

32. Maggie Donahue 20:51.0 (26)
89. Sami Corman 21:27.0 (71)
138. Baylee Jones 21:45.9 (108)
165. Alyssa Aldridge (132)
191. Katie Dammer 22:19.7 (157) 
225. Mary Hennelly 22:48.4
229. Maegan Doody 22:52.5

Georgetown Men's Results (22nd of 30, 528 points)

74. Parker Stokes 31:12.8 (62)
111. Shea Weilbaker 31:37.2 (95)
129. Jack Salisbury 31:56.9 (112)
143. Camden Gilmore 32:08.1(123)
160. Quinn Nicholson 32:19.9 (136)
219. Jantz Tostenson 33:21.1
Matthew Payamps (DNF) 

DIRECTOR OF TRACK & FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY ALTON MCKENZIE ON THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: 

"I'm very proud of the effort from our women today. Unbelievably exciting to see us back at the NCAA CHampionships and finishing 18th speaks volumes for the type of season that they've had. I'm really excited also, for a tremendous performance form maggie donahue, to finish 32nd and secure All-American status. I'm just really proud of the effort from the entire team on a very tough course and we certainly showed that we deserve to be at the national championships, with an 18th-place team finish.

For the men, a very strong effort on a very tough course; they performed as expected in a short season. Finishing 22nd is definitely a place we're proud of and are very pleased with. Coach Bonsey and Coach Mitchell did a great job preparing their athletes––this should prep us well for the track & field season."

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY COACH BRANDON BONSEY ON THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS:

"I'm proud of the way the men competed today. Our preparation was less than ideal but the team didn't use that as an excuse. I've been around great teams and I know this group has the potential to be one of the very best teams in the NCAA very soon. We have much higher aspirations than 22nd-place but in this strange last year we've had I will take that result. On an individual level if anyone knew Parker Stokes' backstory the last seven weeks they would know that what he did today was nothing short of spectacular."

TRACK & FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY ASSISTANT COACH MITCHELL BAKER ON THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS:

"Today was a true team effort not just from the seven that raced, and our alternate, but also the rest of the team back home, the sports medical team, the strength and conditioning staff, the equipment staff, etc. So many people to credit. But above all I am proud of how these seven racers represented each other and the University; they believed in themselves and the plan for today, and they have been locked in on growing from each experience these last six weeks, our first together since last March. Today was a critical point in the rebuilding process that has taken place over the last several years, but with so little experience in this race (just one of seven had raced at the NCAAs before) and so much time away, it was incredibly gratifying for all of them to race to our collective potential. It's clear they're beginning to grasp what it takes to be a great team in championship settings: a focus on each moment coupled with an emphasis on applying lessons learned.

Maggie Donahue was sensational - she showed great tenacity and self-belief to stick in the mix of All-Americans for the entire race and walk away with that recognition. She was our ninth runner on the team last year at the BIG EAST's placing 33rd overall, and today she finished 32nd in the NCAA! Absolutely fantastic growth, well earned, and a great sign for the program. Corman fought through some hydration issues today - it wasn't the race she was individually looking for but still a huge jump from last year (89th this year, 142nd last year as sophomore); she fought for her team to pass nearly 20 athletes in the final kilometer. She'll be back and ready for that next step. Jones has time-and-again proven her ability to close in the final third, and today was no exception passing nearly 40 in the final 1k to score third for us. We don't win the BIG EAST or leap into the top-20 at the NCAA meet without her ability to wind it up at the end. Aldridge stepped up with a great jump from her BIG EAST race to score fourth also passing a group of athletes at the end; so much growth from her over the last year in the big moments. Dammer embraced an adjusted racing approach today; she didn't make our BIG EAST roster of 10 athletes last year, so to see her transformation to be a top-five scorer on a top-20 NCAA is just fantastic. Hennelly gained fantastic experience as a freshman, and Doody to have overcome so much in her first four and a half years on the Hilltop… it's gratifying to see them both committed to the cause and closing on athletes at the end; on another day I know they'll be able to mix it up even more. They're capable and competitive, and I can't wait to see them on the track in a few weeks!

All-in-all a fantastic step forward for the group to race to 18th overall in the NCAA after five years away from this stage. Today they ran for each other for sure, but just as much for those back on campus, those that fought the last several years to bring the program back to national prominence, and the decades of alumni that have shown us what's possible."
 
UP NEXT
With the NCAA Championships, GU will officially conclude its 2021 cross country season and pivot to the 2021 track & field campaign.