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Paladino Rounds out the 2015 Season Strong
November 21, 2015 04:32 PM | Cross Country
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Sophomore Millie Paladino represented the West Virginia University cross country team at the 2015 NCAA Cross Country Championship today, finishing in 77th place overall at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park, in Louisville, Kentucky.
“Millie saved her very best race for the right moment,” said coach Sean Cleary. “The team was very happy to know that West Virginia was represented at the national meet. While disappointed that we were not chosen as an at-large team, we will dedicate ourselves to not feeling as we did today come next fall.”
Qualifying for her second consecutive NCAA Championship and earning All-Mid-Atlantic Region honors, the Morgantown, West Virginia, native braved the competition alone and came out strong for WVU.
In the first split (2000m) of the race, Paladino trailed around the 118th group. She then quickly moved toward the front, pushing ahead of 41 competitors. She crossed the finish line in 77th place with an impressive 6k time of 20:41.6.
“I thought today went well,” said Paladino. “It’s war in that race, so you have to keep your head on straight and stay focused the whole time. I was happy with today, but I want to keep improving, and I want to be at the meet next year with the team.”
Molly Seidel, a senior from Notre Dame, won the NCAA Championship title with a time of 19:28.6. Boise State freshman Allie Ostrander (19:33.6), Arkansas senior Dominique Scott (19:40.9), New Mexico senior Courtney Frerichs (19:48) and New Mexico sophomore Alice Wright (19:53.1) completed the top-five finishers.
No. 1-ranked New Mexico won the championship title, totaling 49 points. Colorado took second (129), followed by Oregon in third (214), Providence in fourth (231) and N.C. State in fifth (264).
The top-40 individuals earned All-American honors.
In 2014, Paladino appeared in her first NCAA Cross Country Championship as a freshman, when WVU qualified as a team and placed eighth. Paladino finished 210th overall, crossing the finish line in 22:01.3.
The Mountaineers finished third at the Big 12 Championship and fifth at the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Paladino concludes the 2015 campaign for West Virginia.
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