CANTON -- The success of St. Lawrence University's women's cross country team over the past few seasons is no secret...four straight NCAA Championship team appearances including a second place team finish in 2009, three consecutive NCAA Atlantic Regional championships, four straight New York State Collegiate Track Conference cross country titles and ten straight Liberty League championships...and while the Saints have graduated a number of top runners over the last three seasons, the program remains highly respected nationally.

The Saints have been ranked eighth nationally and second in the Atlantic region in the pre-season polls despite losing three of their top five runners from last year's team with the graduation of Jenna Hulton and McKayla Nuffer and the transfer of Megan Hulton after her rookie season.

"Replacing three of the top five and maintaining the level of success we have had over the last few years is a daunting task," said coach Mike Howard, who has been Liberty League coach of the year in each of the last four seasons. "But the fact that we are still ranked as highly as we are nationally and in the region says something about the respect our program has earned. It acknowledges what our program has done on a national level and we are optimistic going forward."

The Saints do return four of the seven runners who participated in last year's NCAA championship with senior captain Jackie Lemme, junior Amy Cymerman, senior Erikka Nuffer and senior Caroline Raue. "We have a great group of veterans returning, led by Jackie Lemme, who has made three straight NCAA appearances and Amy Cymerman, who has run in two NCAA championships. And, there are some veteran runners who weren't quite as visible during cross country season last year due to injury or illness who are coming off great indoor and outdoor track seasons and will be a big help this fall," Howard said. Included among those veterans are captains Lizzy Edwards and Ariel Beccia plus Jess Marini, a track athlete who is out for cross country for the first time as a senior.

Add in a first-year class that Howard feels might be the best in program history and the Saints lofty early rankings may be well supported. Margaret MacDonald from Saratoga Springs was a highly regarded high school runner on the national scene and Ella Martin ran as an independent as a student at Falmouth Academy in Massachusetts and placed at high school nationals.

"We have a handful of other first-year runners who could contribute as well, so with the newcomers and our veterans, our goal is to try to show that our pre-season rankings are not a fluke and to continue our success on the league, state and regional level and make it back to nationals. And, like every year, if we get to nationals our goal is to get onto the podium.

"This team will be young and fun to watch as I expect we will have different runners step up every week. We have good depth and talented athletes and that's a great mix to have," Howard concluded.