The Villanova Women at NCAA Cross Country Nationals: A Complete History

The NCAA initiated women’s national competition in Cross Country only in 1981. Since the introduction of this sport at the NCAA division 1 level, Villanova has been the most dominant program in the nation. It has more team champions (9) and more individual national champions (8) than another other school. The first Villanova woman to cross a finish line at the NCAA national meet was Jan Yerkes, running at-large in 1982. The Villanova women qualified its first team to compete at cross nationals in 1983, when it finished 14th. Who has been the best Villanova woman harrier in the history of the program? Consider these four women:
(1) Carole Zajac won two individual titles (1992 and 1993), was national runner-up in 1991 – behind O’Sullivan – and was 14th overall as a frosh. In 2005, the NCAA selected Zajac as the Most Outstanding Student-Athlete in cross country for the past quarter century. Four years at Nationals: 14-2-1-1
(2) Sonia O’Sullivan is Villanova’s only other two-time individual national champion (1990 and 1991) and was 26th overall in 1989. Three years at Nationals: 26-1-1
(3) Jen Rhines won the individual title in 1994 and has two additional top 3 finishes (2nd overall in 1993 – behind Zajac – and 3rd overall in 1995). Four years at nationals: 98-2-1-3
(4) Carrie Tollefson won an individual title in 1997 and has three additional top 11 finishes. Four years at Nationals: 7-5-1-11

Below is a complete history of every Villanova woman to compete at the NCAA cross country national meet (individual places are overall, not team, places).

Villanova Women’s NCAA Championship XC Teams
1. 1989
2. 1990
3. 1991
4. 1992
5. 1993
6. 1994
7. 1998
8. 2009
9. 2010

Villanova Women’s NCAA Individual XC Champions (6 women with 8 titles)
1. Vicki Huber: 1989
2. Sonia O’Sullivan: 1990 and 1991
3. Carole Zajac: 1992 and 1993
4. Jen Rhines: 1994
5. Carrie Tollefson: 1997
6. Sheila Reid: 2010 and 2011

Villanova at the NCAA XC Nationals

1982
Team: n.a.
46. Jan Yerkes
67. Mary Ellen McGowan

1983
Team: 14th (337 places)
21. Mary Ellen McGowan
86. Lauren Searby
108. Melissa Grub
112. Kathleen Redden
116. Lisa Polzinetti
131. Patty Bradley

1984
Team: 9th (256 places)
30. Lauren Searby
51. Mary Ellen McGowan
68. Vickie Brown
95. Melissa Grub
106. Coleen Gallagher
110. Lisa Polzinetti
125. Mary Pat Parducci

1985
Team: 16th (341 places)
52. Lauren Searby
75. Vicki Huber
98. Lisa Polzinetti
108. Dolores Carapella
118. Maureen Breen
128. Jennifer Rahn
DNF. Kathy Franey

1986
Team: 13th (279 places)
29. Vicki Huber
45. Gina Procaccio
94. Dolores Carapella
102. Lauren Searby
113. Ruth Lockbaum
117. Dina Alborano
123. Meg Moisen

1987
Team: n.a.
9. Vicki Huber
55. Kathy Franey

1989 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (99 places)
1. Vicki Huber ** Individual Champion **
12. Kathy Franey
26. Sonia O’Sullivan
50. Kim Certain
56. Cheri Goddard
83. Kate Fonshell
182. Nnenna Lynch

1990 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (82 places)
1. Sonia O’Sullivan ** Individual Champion **
14. Carole Zajac
25. Kate Fonshell
28. Cheri Goddard
38. Nnenna Lynch
42. Carol Haux
98. Michele Torelli

1991 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (85 places)
1. Sonia O’Sullivan **Two-Time Individual Champion **
2. Carole Zajac
12. Nnenna Lynch
31. Cheri Goddard
68. Carol Haux
92. Michele Torelli
104. Chris Gentile

1992 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (123 places)
1. Carole Zajac ** Individual Champion **
3. Nnenna Lynch
7. Cheri Goddard
60. Becky Spies
87. Megan Flowers (transfers to Arkansas; 8th in 1993 and 4th in 1994)
98. Jennifer Rhines
111. Irene Ruopoli

1993 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (66 places)
1. Carole Zajac ** Two-Time Individual Champion **
2. Jennifer Rhines
7. Becky Spies
31. Tosha Woddard
48. Emer Molloy
155. Stacy Robinson

1994 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (75 places)
1. Jennifer Rhines ** Individual Champion **
3. Becky Spies
21. Krestena Sullivan
23. Tosha Woddard
54. Emer Molloy
69. Stacy Robinson
173. Cara Salibrici

1995
Team: 3rd (151 places)
3. Jennifer Rhines
7. Carrie Tollefson
20. Krestena Sullivan
26. Kristine Jost
125. Stacy Robinson
179. Kathleeen Kelly
182. Samra Lee

1996 ** National Runners-Up **
Team: 2nd (106 places)
4. Kristine Jost
5. Carrie Tollefson
11. Krestena Sullivan
44. Carmen Douma
81. Jurga Marcinkeviciute
134. Sarah Brandy
155. Tamieka Grizzle

1997
Team: n.a.
1. Carrie Tollefson ** Individual Champion **
6. Carmen Douma

1998 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (106 places)
11. Carrie Tollefson
12. Sarah Goodman
17. Kristen Nicolini
21. Carmen Douma
69. Kristine Jost
81. Ann McGranahan
245. Lony’e Johnson

1999
Team: 21st (462 places)
24. Carmen Douma
55. Liz Awtrey
108. Kristen Nicolini
193. Ann McGranahan
197. Sheila Klick
244. Lony’e Johnson
249. Geraldine McCarthy

2000
Team: 20th (482 places)
65. Liz Awtrey
108. Ann McGranahan
140. Rebecca Mitchell
155. Renee Gunning
171. Geraldine McCarthy
202. Carre Joyce
216. Meghan Courtney

2001
Team: 24th (560 places)
95. Kalin Toedebusch
103. Renee Gunning
110. Rebecca Mitchell
180. Carre Joyce
209. Ioana Parusheva
240. Claudine Evangelista

2002
Team: 8th (256 places)
35. Marina Muncan
44. Ioana Parusheva
67. Kalin Toedebusch (transfers to Colorado; 38th in 2003 and 85th in 2005)
83. Rebecca Mitchell
116. Liz Gesel
217. Carre Joyce
227. Kirsty Smith

2003
Team: 11th (380 places)
17. Marina Muncan
19. Ioana Parusheva
128. Rebecca Mitchell
136. Juliette Kenny
174. Colleen Taylor
194. Kirsty Smith
235. Carre Joyce

2004
Team: 7th (277 places)
8. Marina Muncan
37. Ioana Parusheva
82. Liz Gesel
93. Kirsty Smith
162. Colleen Taylor
177. Frances Koons
227. Bridget Akard

2005
Team: 21st (497 places)
23. Marina Muncan
65. Frances Koons
164. Akilah Vargas
183. Liz Gesel
196. Ellen Dougherty
239. Bridget Akard
242. Casey Nelson

2006
Team: n.a.
87. Frances Koons

2007
Team: n.a.
148. Sheila Reid

2008
Team: 6th (248 places)
20. Frances Koons
35. Amanda Marino
67. Bogdana Mimic
92. Kaitlyn Tallman
101. Callie Hogan
134. Sarah Morrison
220. Ali Smith

2009 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (86 places)
6. Amanda Marino
13. Sheila Reid
22. Bogdana Mimic
24. Ali Smith
30. Nicole Schappert
60. Brooke Simpson
98. Kaitlyn Tallman

2010 ** National Champions **
Team: 1st (120 places)
1. Sheila Reid ** Individual Champion **
10. Amanda Marino
24. Ali Smith
27. Bogdana Mimic
94. Emily Lipari
239. Sarah Morrison
243. Callie Hogan