STEVENSON, Md. – The Messiah Women's Cross Country team is ready for the 2026 Middle Atlantic Conference Championship Meet hosted by Stevenson University at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Falcons have been selected to finish first in the Pre-Championship Coaches Poll. See below for a preview of the upcoming Championship.

Falcons Ready to Race
Each conference team can enter 15 runners, with a final 12 declared the day of competition. The Falcons have entered 14 runners as eligible to compete in Saturday's action.

Leading the pack is junior Delaney Turk, a staple at the front of the finish this season. In four contended races this season, Turk has found herself in the top 10 in each race, highlighted by a first-place finish at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 with a time of 23:06.6 and a new personal best time of 22:08.5 at the Lock Haven Regional preview on Sept. 26. Turk will look to continue her strong racing this season as the Falcons look to earn the team title.

Madison Kimmel will look to capitalize on a strong senior campaign that has seen lifetime bests set at both the 4k and 6k distances and routinely in the top three Falcon finishers. Kimmel's season has thus far been highlighted by a third-place finish at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18^th with a time of 23:43.1 and setting a personal best time at the Lock Haven Regional Preview on Sept. 26 with a time of 22:59.8.

Meagan Kime has had a strong start to her junior campaign, finishing 17^th at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 before running a personal best time of 23:59.7 at the Lock Haven Regional preview on Sept. 26. Looking to improve upon her early season success is freshman Kendall Chandler. Chandler finished 8^th at the MAC Preview with a time of 24:31.2 before running a season best time of 23:34.8 at the Lock Haven Regional preview on Sept. 26.

Elana Pineda continues her successful career as a Falcon, finishing seventh at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18^th with a time of 24:31.2. The following meet, she clocked a personal best time of 23:05.1 at the Lock Haven Regional Preview. Ava Shirk opened her junior campaign with a personal best at the 4k distance at the Galen Piper Challenge on Sept. 4. She has since clocked three finishes in the 24-minute range, with an 11^th place finish at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18^th.

Ella Swayne's senior year has seen consistent races within a minute of each other. She finished 12^th at the MAC Preview with a 24:52.4 before finishing with times of 23:54.9 and 24:07.4 to conclude the regular season. Katie Brass has enjoyed a successful start to her freshman campaign at Messiah, competing strong in each of her four races, highlighted by a personal best time of 24:09.5 and the Lock Haven Regional preview on Sept. 26 to finish 14^th.

Gracelyn Lacoss earned a 13^th place finish at the MAC Preview on Sept. 13 before clocking a personal best time of 23:32.0 at the Lock Haven Regional Preview on Sept. 26. Sophomore Kenzee Wiker crossed the line in 14^th at the MAC Preview with a time of 25:18.2 before clocking times of 23:50.5 and 24:02.0 in the final regular season races of the season.

Lila Kretzing will look to earn a scoring place with the Falcons, improving upon her time of 26:11.1 at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18. In the two meets following the MAC Preview, Kretzing clocked a personal best time of 24:20.1 at the Lock Haven Regional Preview before a 24:34.9 finish at the Roanoke South Region Showdown. Lily Mellinger has found success early in her freshman season cutting time in each race, finishing 16^th at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18 with a time of 25:22.9, eighth at the Lock Haven Regional Preview with a time of 23:50.5 before running a personal best time of 23:44.8 at the Roanoke South Region Showdown on Oct.17 to conclude the regular season.

Samantha Mynio has run a consistent senior campaign, clocking times from 24:35.2 to 25:29.2 this season. Mynio finished 18^th at the MAC Preview on Sept. 18^th and 24^th at the Lock Haven Regional Preview on Sept. 26^th. Emmie Battersby finished in 22^nd at the MAC Preview with a time of 25:51.2 before running a personal best time of 24:14.7 at the Lock Haven Regional Preview to finish 17^th.