Temple University Athletics
Women's Cross Country Looks to Grow in 2021
8.27.21 | Women's Cross Country
PHILADELPHIA – Following the unique 2020-21 spring cross country season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, head Temple women's cross country coach is excited to have a more traditional fall season with this year's Owls squad.Â
The Temple women's cross country team competed in just one meet during the spring campaign due to the crossover of the track and field season. Their first and only race of the year was the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championship, where the ladies finished fourth overall.Â
"This year, we basically have the same team that we had in the spring with a few freshmen added in," commented head women's cross country coach James Snyder, who is entering his ninth year at the helm of the program. "Last year, we slid back into that fourth spot at the conference meet but this year, we are going to look to grow and improve from it."
Leading the Owls this year will be returning senior Michelle Joyce. Joyce earned All-Conference honors last season with her best conference finish of ninth place. The Stroudsburg, Pa. native has earned All-AAC recognition each of her three seasons on the cross country course and will look to become the first in the Cherry and White to collect the honor four times in her career.Â
"Michelle was one of the best in the conference in the long distance track races this past spring. She was second in the 10K and came back two days later to win the 5K at the AAC Outdoor Championships. She is somebody who I know has aspirations to win an individual conference title in cross country."
Lea Kerbiriou finished right behind Joyce in 10th, marking the first time a Temple freshman has finished in the top-10 at the conference meet on both the men's and women's side.Â
"Lea was a top-10 girl, one spot behind Michelle, at the cross country conference championships. She's in a position to compete for a conference title and, like Michelle, they want to make the NCAA as individuals. I think the one-two punch we have between the two of them is going to be as formidable and strong as any top-two runners we've ever had during the time I've been here."
With having more than just one meet throughout the season, the Owls will be in a better position this year to see the results they have been working towards at both the American Athletic Conference Championships and the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.Â
The Cherry and White last raced in the NCAA Regional meet in November of 2019. Temple finished seventh overall, not the results the women nor coach Snyder were hoping for. With Joyce and Kerbiriou leading the way this season, Snyder believes this team can move up in the regional race. The Owls just need more runners to step up and finish in those scoring spots. Â
"I think we can feel good that we're going to have a lot of help up front with Michelle and Lea, but where the question marks come in is how we fill out the rest of our lineup. We need people to step up so we can take a step forward from where we were during our spring cross country season."Â
Cat Shontz will be someone coach Snyder expects to improve upon her previous seasons in the Cherry and White. Shontz finished 21st overall at the 2020 cross country conference championship and made strides as a long-distance runner during the track season.Â
"Cat stepped up as a scorer last year. She's put in the work this summer and looks to be in fantastic shape."
Snyder will also look to freshmen Mia Dubac and Brooke Edwardson to step up and make an impact for the Owls. Dubac was the cross country conference champion her senior year at Clifton High School, while Edwardson was the 2020 Wisconsin Cross Country Runner-Up.Â
"Mia and Brooke are brand new to our program but they come in with some strong high school credentials where I think they could be contributors."
Temple has all of the puzzle pieces needed to have a successful 2021 campaign. If the Owls continue to work hard and work together, they should reap the benefits once the racing begins.
The Cherry and White will debut the 2021 season on Friday, Sept. 3 at the Temple Invite, hosted by the Owls, at Belmont Plateau. The ladies are slated to toe the line at 5:45 p.m.
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The Temple women's cross country team competed in just one meet during the spring campaign due to the crossover of the track and field season. Their first and only race of the year was the 2020 American Athletic Conference Championship, where the ladies finished fourth overall.Â
"This year, we basically have the same team that we had in the spring with a few freshmen added in," commented head women's cross country coach James Snyder, who is entering his ninth year at the helm of the program. "Last year, we slid back into that fourth spot at the conference meet but this year, we are going to look to grow and improve from it."
Leading the Owls this year will be returning senior Michelle Joyce. Joyce earned All-Conference honors last season with her best conference finish of ninth place. The Stroudsburg, Pa. native has earned All-AAC recognition each of her three seasons on the cross country course and will look to become the first in the Cherry and White to collect the honor four times in her career.Â
"Michelle was one of the best in the conference in the long distance track races this past spring. She was second in the 10K and came back two days later to win the 5K at the AAC Outdoor Championships. She is somebody who I know has aspirations to win an individual conference title in cross country."
Lea Kerbiriou finished right behind Joyce in 10th, marking the first time a Temple freshman has finished in the top-10 at the conference meet on both the men's and women's side.Â
"Lea was a top-10 girl, one spot behind Michelle, at the cross country conference championships. She's in a position to compete for a conference title and, like Michelle, they want to make the NCAA as individuals. I think the one-two punch we have between the two of them is going to be as formidable and strong as any top-two runners we've ever had during the time I've been here."
With having more than just one meet throughout the season, the Owls will be in a better position this year to see the results they have been working towards at both the American Athletic Conference Championships and the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.Â
The Cherry and White last raced in the NCAA Regional meet in November of 2019. Temple finished seventh overall, not the results the women nor coach Snyder were hoping for. With Joyce and Kerbiriou leading the way this season, Snyder believes this team can move up in the regional race. The Owls just need more runners to step up and finish in those scoring spots. Â
"I think we can feel good that we're going to have a lot of help up front with Michelle and Lea, but where the question marks come in is how we fill out the rest of our lineup. We need people to step up so we can take a step forward from where we were during our spring cross country season."Â
Cat Shontz will be someone coach Snyder expects to improve upon her previous seasons in the Cherry and White. Shontz finished 21st overall at the 2020 cross country conference championship and made strides as a long-distance runner during the track season.Â
"Cat stepped up as a scorer last year. She's put in the work this summer and looks to be in fantastic shape."
Snyder will also look to freshmen Mia Dubac and Brooke Edwardson to step up and make an impact for the Owls. Dubac was the cross country conference champion her senior year at Clifton High School, while Edwardson was the 2020 Wisconsin Cross Country Runner-Up.Â
"Mia and Brooke are brand new to our program but they come in with some strong high school credentials where I think they could be contributors."
Temple has all of the puzzle pieces needed to have a successful 2021 campaign. If the Owls continue to work hard and work together, they should reap the benefits once the racing begins.
The Cherry and White will debut the 2021 season on Friday, Sept. 3 at the Temple Invite, hosted by the Owls, at Belmont Plateau. The ladies are slated to toe the line at 5:45 p.m.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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