Senior Abby Dalton posted the highest finish ever by a Muhlenberg female at the NCAA Championships in cross country, coming in 47th.

Dalton crossed the line in 21:56.4, missing All-America honors by seven places and less than 10 seconds but topping the 67th-place finish of Samantha Mayden from 2012.

"I was so excited to run my last cross country race," said Dalton. "The atmosphere only added to the excitement.

"Soon after the moment the gun went off, I was squished between hundreds of runners. I could not speed up, slow down or move left or right for the first mile. Cheering spectators lined almost all of the course. Once the crowd thinned out, I was able to pass large groups of people. I wanted to make at least 60th place, but as I neared the finish line, I didn't think I achieved this goal.

When Coach Cal [Anthony Calantoni] read the race results, it said I was around 67th place. But when the final results came in, I was actually 47th, which was a nice surprise!"

Senior Marielle Avola, in her first career NCAA appearance, came in 160th out of 292 runners.

"Coming to the NCAA Championships was an amazing experience," she said. "After missing qualifying by one spot my freshman year, making nationals has been a goal of mine. Having played soccer sophomore year and not having a season as a junior, this season was really my last shot. The nationals atmosphere is a very unique and high-energy environment. From the moment the gun goes off, hundreds - if not thousands - of fans sprint back and forth to line the entire course as the race progresses. There really is nothing like it. The opportunity to run in such an enthusiastic meet was amazing.

"The sheer number of girls running similar paces makes for an interesting race as well. The start of the race was essentially a stampede, making it difficult to secure a good spot. The rest of the race was just about climbing back into the pack and finishing strong. While it wasn't my PR, I was happy with my finish. For me, getting to the race was the goal. Everything else has essentially been a bonus. 

"I am so grateful to have shared the experience with Abby and my coaches. It was a gratifying end to a great season with an incredible, hardworking group of women. Since freshman year, Abby has been a constant source of inspiration and support throughout our training and competitions. Coach Hackett and Coach Cal have been so supportive this entire season. They have worked with us nonstop to push us and to help us realize potentials which even we never thought possible."

"At the end, Mari and I congratulated each other on our races and seasons," added Dalton. "We were so happy with the way this season ended."

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