From Brandeis University Athletics

Senior Emily Bryson (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) and the Brandeis women's cross country team turned in a historic performance today at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships at Lake Breeze Golf Course in Wisconsin. Bryson finished fifth overall to earn her fourth career All-America honor, while the team tied for their best all-time finish by coming in sixth overall with 277 points.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

• As she has throughout her career, Emily Bryson led the team with her fifth-place finish. She ran in fifth place throughout the entire race, covering the six-kilometer course in a time of 21:08.3.
• The time was the second-fastest of Bryson's career and a two-second PR for her at the national meet.
• The fifth-place finish is an improvement of 15 places from her previous best at nationals, which came last year (20^th place). It was the second-highest finish in program history, trailing only the runner-up finish by Mariko Tansey Holbrook Neveu '03 in 2002.
• The All-America honor is the fourth in Bryson's career, making her Brandeis's first four-time All-American in cross country, men or women. She is also just the 14^th woman in Division III history to earn All-America honors all four years. Overall, it was her sixth career All-America honor.
• Coming in second for the Judges was Emily's twin sister Julia Bryson (Quincy, Mass./North Quincy), who came in 64^th with a time of 22:17.2, the fourth-fastest time of her career. She finished about 17 seconds out of All-America range.
• Julia made her biggest move between the third and fifth kilometers, improving by 50 spots during that stretch.
• Right behind Julia was junior Danielle Bertaux (Prides Crossing, Mass./Beverly), who placed 67^th overall with a time of 22:19.3. Bertaux had a strong final kilometer, moving from 90^th place to 67^th in that span.
• Bertaux ran a personal best by 28 seconds to finish as the team's third finisher for the third time this season.
• Sophomore Niamh Kenney (Hanover, Mass./Hanover) was in fourth for the Judges with a time of 22:25.2, good for 81^st place overall.
• Kenney lowered her personal best, which came last weekend at the New England Regionals, by four seconds as she improved by 12 places over the final kilometer.
• Rookie Jac Guerra (Guilford, Conn./Guilford)  rounded out the scorers for the Judges, coming in 164^th with a time 23:00.2. It was Guerra's second-fastest time of the season and placed him 17^th among first-year runners at the meet.
• Rounding out the Judges' runners were seniors Meghan Barry (Marlborough, Mass./Worcester Academy), who was 214^th with a time of 23:24.5 – the fourth-fastest of her career – and Doyin Ogundiran (Dix Hills, N.Y. / Half Hollow Hills East), who was 258^th with a time of 24:06.3.

TEAM RESULTS

• The Judges' 277 points mark the third-lowest team score in program history at the NCAA Championships and is tied for the best team placement. The Judges also finished in sixth place in 1991.
• The squad tied with SUNY-Geneseo for fifth place in the scoring, but the Knights finished ahead on tiebreakers – the five scoring runners were compared head-to-head, with three Geneseo runners placing ahead of their Judge counterparts.
• Brandeis was ranked 11^th nationally in the pre-meet polls, but finished five places higher than their ranking.
• The Judges were second among New England schools, including ahead of Williams and Middlebury, who were ranked 5^th and 8^th, respectively. Regionally, they trailed only MIT, who was third with 247 points.
• The Judges were also the second team from the University Athletic Association (UAA) in the race, trailing only Washington University, who won the meet by one point, 98-99, knocking off two-time defending champions Johns Hopkins.

QUOTES FROM COACH SINEAD EVANS

• "Conditions were great. The ground was firm, it was chilly, but that's cross country. We are used to it."
• "Everyone ran great, they moved through the field nicely following the strategy."
• "Emily ran the best race she possibly cold. She ran out with the leaders and stuck with them."
• "This year was a testament to the team's hard work. I told them at the end of last year that we had a chance to have a special year this year. Everyone trained hard over the summer and came back in great shape, and I knew it was going to be terrific season."
• "To finish eighth in the region last year and sixth at nationals this year, it's just a great way for the seniors – Emily, Julia, Meg and Doyin – to finish out their careers."