AMCC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

The AMCC is embarking on its 20th anniversary during the 2016-17 academic year. Since 1997 there have been many outstanding teams and individual student-athletes who have risen to the top of their sports.  We are honored to recognize and highlight some of those accomplishments throughout this anniversary year.

Former AMCC member Frostburg State University was dominant in the early years for women's cross country, capturing seven of the first 10 championships. The past nine years have been split between Franciscan University and Penn State Behrend, with Franciscan taking five titles and Behrend with four. The Lions also claimed two championships amidst Frostburg's run early on, picking up titles in 2001 and 2004.

Penn State Behrend's Jessica Knapp is the only three-time AMCC women's cross country runner of the year. In 2001, she finished first at the AMCC Championships with a time of 21:21 and 84^th at NCAA Regionals with a time of 20:30. In 2003, Knapp, a two-time all-conference team member, was a three-time AMCC Runner of the Week. She paced the Behrend Lions throughout the season, and led them to the NCAA Division III Regionals. The 2004 individual champion at the AMCC Championships, Knapp was crowned a three-time AMCC Runner of the Year, and led the Lions to a team title after she covered the 6K course at the Western Maryland 4-H Center in a time of 25:01.

Behrend's Catie Bertges earned back-to-back runner of the year honors in 2012 and 2013. Bertges finished as the individual runner-up her first two seasons and paced the Lions to the team crown during her junior year in 2012. She followed that up in 2013 by leading the Lions to the AMCC title with a conference record-breaking performance for the 6K course, crossing the finish line in 22:34.

We are proud to honor the complete line-up of AMCC Women's Cross Country Runners of the Year from 1997-2016:

2015 – Rachel Ramsey, BEH - Ramsey, a five-time AMCC Runner of the Week, was the individual champion at the AMCC Championship race. She posted the fastest 6K time in the AMCC in 2015 and was not been beaten by an AMCC runner all year. 
2014 – Kylie Reinholz, HIL – Reinholz was the individual winner at the AMCC championship meet and first-ever conference individual champion for the Hawks.
2013 – Catie Bertges, BEH - Bertges led the Lions to the AMCC title with a conference record breaking performance for the 6K course.
2012 – Catie Bertges, BEH – Bertges, a three-time all-conference honoree, finished as the individual runner-up the past two seasons and paced the Lions to the team crown in 2012
2011 – Nicole Krajewski, FRN – Krajewski was the individual champion at the AMCC championship meet and also earned All-American honors at the Great Lakes regional meet.
2010 – Anya Bogdanets, DYC - Bogdanets placed fourth in the the NCAA Division III Atlantic Regional, earning her a place in the national competition.  She is the first D'Youville College student-athlete to compete in an NCAA individual sport championship.
2009 – Gwen Massey, FSU - Won the women's individual title in a 5K time of 24:17.3.
2008 – Erin Bliss, FRN -  led the AMCC championship women's field of 73 runners with a time of 23:48 for the 5K race.
2007 – Ali Mertsock, UPB - fastest woman at the AMCC championship meet, covering the 6K course in 23:57.
2006 – Jenny Bailey, BEH – Bailey was the individual champion in the 5K AMCC championship race and was also the strongest league finisher at the regional race, posting a time of 25:05 to come in 41^st place.
2005 – Megan Crossett, PSA – The freshman covered the 6K course at the Westmoreland Fairground in a time of 24:16, claiming the individual title and leading PS Altoona to their first AMCC cross country title.
2004 – Jessica Knapp, BEH – Three-time AMCC Runner of the Year, Knapp was the 2004 individual champion and led the Lions to a team title after she covered the 6K course at the Western Maryland 4-H Center in a time of 25:01.
2003 – Jessica Knapp, BEH - Knapp, a two-time all-conference team member, was a three-time AMCC Runner of the Week.  She paced the Behrend Lions throughout the season, and led them to the NCAA Div. III Regionals.
2002 – Jessica Sarver, BEH – Finished first at the AMCC Championships with a time of 24:38 and 40^th at NCAA Regionals with a time of 22:34.
2001 – Jessica Knapp, BEH – Finished first at AMCC Championships with a time of 21:21 and 84^th at NCAA Regionals with a time of 20:30.
2000 – Megan McNew, FSU (Co-Runner Of The Year)
2000 - Inga Olsen, FSU (Co-Runner Of The Year)
1999 – Megan McNew, FSU
1998 –Angie Shaw, FSU
1997 – Karen Carpenter FSU - Karen was a two-time All-American for the Bobcat cross country teams and she captured the AMCC, Mason-Dixon Conference and NCAA South Region championships as a junior in 1997. She earned a pair of All-American honors after taking fourth as a sophomore and junior at the NCAA Championships.