Returning nearly all of their runners, the Belles used their experience to excel during the 2016 season.
Highlights and top-10 finishes for the Belles in the 2016 season included the MIAA Jamboree, Bethel Invitational and the Calvin College Invitational where the Belles placed sixth, seventh and eighth respectively. The Belles placed fifth overall in the MIAA championship, which helped them finish sixth in the final conference standings.
The 2016 cross-country season featured numerous Belles earning personal bests in both the 5K and 6K races. Seniors Brittany Beeler, Kaitlyn Alessi and Maggie Pacana, juniors Caitlin Blum, Anna McClowry and Reilly Pieri and sophomores Adele Edmonds, Mary Philbin and Sarah Allen all recorded personal bests over the course of the season.
The Belles roster features five seniors in Alessi, Beeler, Pacana, Kathryn Marshall and Colleen Ogren.
Alessi, a co-captain, said the class of 2017 is a unique one to the program and one that she will hold close to her heart.
“This class is especially important because it is the first class that will have started and ended with the exact same group in the history of Saint Mary’s,” Alessi said. “We didn’t add anyone else and no one quit. We’ve all become very tight-knit and bring our own uniqueness to the program. I know that our leadership will be missed but I am certain that the underclassmen will be able to carry on our legacy.”
The Belles concluded their season at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional where they placed 18th overall. Beeler finished 15th individually and was named All-Region for the third time in her career.
Beeler also took fourth place at the MIAA championships and became the second Saint Mary’s runner to earn first team All-MIAA multiple times. Beeler has earned three All-Region awards and became the first runner in program history to earn the honor multiple times. In the school’s record book, Beeler also hold the fourth and fifth fastest times in the 6K and the 5K races, respectively.
