Denison University

Murdough and Jewell Earn Major Honors, Women’s Cross Country Finishes Third at NCAC Championships

10/31/2026 2:32:00 PM

Oberlin, Ohio - For the first time since 2005, the Denison women's cross country team finished top three at the NCAC Championships behind three All-NCAC performances. Sophomore Shaylee Murdough tabbed a personal best performance for her first career All-NCAC honor, while sophomore Hanna Hack and first-year Maggie Jewell earned second team honors. Jewell also secured NCAC Newcomer of the Year honors.

Denison finished with 89 points, behind Ohio Wesleyan (48 points), and champion John Carroll (21 points).

How It Shook Out

Murdough earned first team All-NCAC honors after a personal best finish of 21:51.8. She finished fifth, and the top runner for the Big Red
Hack and Jewell earned second team All-NCAC. Hack finished 13th with a personal best time of 22:14.5, and Jewell earned 14th and NCAC Newcomer of the Year honors after finishing 14th. Jewell was the top first-year finisher, finishing with a personal best time of 22:17.3
Senior Fiona Martinelli rounded out the top-30, finishing 26th with a personal best of 22:47.9
First-year Emily Harrington (48th, 23:24.8), Sophomore Serafina Lavallee (49th, 23:26.0), and senior Lexi Verdell (50th, 23:26.2) rounded out the top-50 for the Big Red.

Race Highlights

This was the highest finish for the team at the NCAC Championship since 2005. That year, the Big Red won. The last time the squad finished third was 2001.
The Big Red earned their second Newcomer of the Year award in three seasons, as Jane McNamara took it home in 2024.
This is the first time the Big Red have had multiple All-NCAC performances since the 2018 season.
Murdough is the first All-NCAC performer since the 2021 season. That year, Emily Wilson took home first team honors.

Up Next for the Big Red

The Big Red will head up north to East Lansing, Michigan to compete in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championship hosted by Olivet College on Saturday, November 14.

For full race results, click here.

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