Rochester, NY - The SUNY Delhi cross country teams traveled out to Rochester for the NCAA Niagara Regional Championships with bids the NCAA Championships on line. Amanda Intrieri came through and punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships to be held next weekend in South Carolina while Charlotte Warner (18th) and Michael Lilly (24th) each earned All-Region Honors.
The top team in each region automatically qualifies for the NCAA Championships as well as the top Seven individual finishers that are not on a qualifying team. Intrieri placed sixth overall guaranteeing her spot on the starting line next weekend. This makes history for the program as she is the first female cross country runner that has ever earned a birth in the NCAA Cross Country Championships. She becomes the first Bronco to qualify since Seth Bywater represented the men's team in 2021. Intrieri ran an incredible second half of the race moving up 20 places from the 3000 meter mark to the finish to grab that guaranteed spot.
Intrieri also again lowered her program record for the 6-kilometer distance with an outstanding time of 22:04.6. This shatters the mark sheestablished earlier this season when she ran 22:33.1 by nearly 30 seconds. Teammate Charlotte Warner also ran under the old mark with her 18th place finish and time of 22:31.8 to post the second fastest time in program history. Rounding out the scoring for the Broncos were Evie Eastman (67th, 24:08.3), Maria Heebner (69th, 24:09.9) and Sofia Melone (146th, 29:22.4). For both Intrieri and Warner, this makes their second consecutive season earning All-Region honors.
For the men, Michael Lilly has been showing signs of huge improvements all fall and today he garnered his largest honor to date. Lilly ran 25:58.6 to place 24th overall and earn All-Region in the loaded Niagara Region. Lilly will now wait to see what teams earn at large selections to the NCAA Championships. Should there be two at large teams from the Niagara Region, Lilly would move into an individual spot at the NCAA Championships. Also scoring for the men were Liam Cowdrey (46th, 26:39.7), Austin Lafountin (55th, 26:48.5), Wylie Wakefield (107th, 27:58.3) and Sepncer Moreau (108th, 27:59.8).
This will conclude the season from a team perspective. Amanda Intrieri will compete next weekend in Spartansburg, SC at the NCAA Championships. Warner and Lilly will find out about their status after the at large selections are announced tomorrow.
