Black Knights Start Season Strong vs. Maine

Friday, August 31

Orono, ME

TBA

Army West Point

Maine Dual

Black Knights Start Season Strong vs. Maine

August 31, 2018 | Women's Cross Country

ORONO, M.E. - The Army West Point women's cross country team opened its season with a 15-50 victory over Maine on Friday.

Freshman Shelby Piccinic paced the Black Knights, finishing first in her collegiate debut.

Army took the first 11 spots in the race.

COACH'S CORNER
Head Coach Mike Smith
"This was probably the strongest showing that we have had in the four years that we have come to this meet. Other Army teams have run faster up here, but none have shown as much depth. It was hot out there and that changed the way the race was run. Our women did a nice job of pushing as a pack and in the end, they were rewarded with a pretty dominating finish. There were several individual performances of note today, including plebe Shelby Piccinic coming home with the win. She had a terrific high school career, so we expected here to be a contributor for us, but it was nice to see it happen so soon. Jordan Jones also did a nice job of competing today. She didn't back down at all and I was impressed with how she hung in there. I was most pleased with how Donia Nichols ran today. Donia was someone that I recruited when I first got here in the fall of 2014. We worked hard to get her and had she not been injured her senior year, this would be her senior year. She took a long time to recover from that injury and has worked hard to make herself into the runner that we saw today. She is a great example of the warrior ethos. She has faced numerous physical challenges in trying to make it at this level, but has never quit. In fact, she has been one of our hardest workers. So, to see her running at the front of the race was a nice breakthrough. I am happy for her. All in all, it was a good day for us. Now the real work begins as we build toward the championship season."