NJAC CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

PITMAN, NJ --- A deep and balanced field will toe the line Saturday morning at Stockton University, where the 2025 NJAC Women’s Cross Country Championship will kick off the day’s action. Rowan University returns as the defending champion after edging TCNJ in last year’s title race, while both programs enter this weekend nationally competitive and ranked among the region’s elite. With five NJAC teams ranked in the USTFCCCA Metro Region’s top 10, the meet promises a high-caliber showdown of depth, speed, and late-season form on Stockton’s familiar course in Galloway.
 
The women’s race begins at 10:30 AM.
 
Kean
The Cougars enter the championship after strong showings throughout the fall, highlighted by a runner-up team finish at Delaware Valley’s Green & Gold Invitational and a third-place effort at the St. Joseph’s Invitational. Sarah Knoetig has been Kean’s top finisher in two of three meets, including an 8th-place finish at St. Joe’s and 5th at Delaware Valley, while Alyssa Sealey led the team at the season opener.
 
Montclair State
Montclair State delivered its best collective effort at the Rowan Border Battle, where the Red Hawks averaged 24:21 per runner and placed eighth among Metro Region programs. Abigail Churchill has been the breakout star, setting a new school record (22:11) for 6K at Rowan’s meet. The Week 3 NJAC Runner of the Week also captured the individual title at the Herb Lorenz Invitational, leading Montclair to a team victory.
 
NJCU
The Gothic Knights are led by the consistent duo of Raven Orange and Reyanna Henderson, who have finished back-to-back in three meets this season. Orange placed 12th and Henderson 13th at the Cougar Chase, and Henderson took top team honors at the Lincoln Tune-Up. NJCU’s best team performance came at Lincoln University, where two runners cracked the top 20, and the squad set a full slate of personal bests earlier in the year at the NJIT Invitational.
 
Ramapo
Ramapo continues to build momentum after a strong showing at the Metropolitan Championships, posting a 19:20 average on a 5K course against mostly Division I opponents. Dale Leonard, the 2023 NJAC individual champion, finished 4th overall among D1 runners and remains the Roadrunners’ front-runner. A two-time all-conference performer and Week 7 NJAC Runner of the Week, Leonard again headlines a lineup targeting a top-3 or top-4 team finish.
 
Rowan
The Profs have yet to lose to a team within the NJAC or Metro Region this season, posting statement performances that include a team title at the Osprey Open and a third-place finish at the Rowan Border Battle—behind only two Top 10 nationally ranked teams. Gabriella Pagano has been nearly unstoppable, claiming victories at Salisbury, the Osprey Open, and finishing 7th at the Border Battle. Her 21:14 at Paul Short, where she placed 8th in the White Race, ranks among the fastest times in NJAC history. A four-time NJAC Runner of the Week this fall and two-time all-conference finisher, Pagano leads the defending champions’ title defense.
 
Rutgers–Camden
Rutgers–Camden has shown steady improvement through the season, including an 8th-place team finish at the Penn State Brandywine/United East Preview Meet. Freshman Deja Robert has led the Scarlet Raptors in multiple races, most recently clocking a PR of 25:33 at the Border Battle, placing 27th overall in a deep field and highlighting a promising first collegiate season.
 
Rutgers–Newark
Angelyna Rodriguez has paced the Scarlet Raiders all season, highlighted by an individual win at the Cougar Chase at Caldwell and top-20 finishes at both the NJIT and Highlander Invitationals. Rodriguez, the Week 5 Runner of the Week, has been Newark’s top finisher in every meet, while Morgan Marckres has been the team’s consistent No. 2 runner. The group opened the season with a fifth-place finish at TCNJ’s Herb Lorenz Invitational.
 
Stockton
The host Ospreys enter as one of the NJAC’s most experienced and balanced squads, led by multiple all-conference performers. Kayla Kass (three-time all-conference) and Rachel Hayes (two-time all-conference) headline the lineup, joined by Maddie Valasek (2023 all-conference) and Paige McCabe, who was the Week 2 NJAC Runner of the Week after a top-10 finish at Stevens (21:24). Stockton placed second overall at Stevens (top D3 finisher), fourth at the Osprey Open, and 11th at the Rowan Border Battle against a field loaded with regionally ranked programs. Kass has been Stockton’s top finisher at the Osprey Open and Border Battle.
 
TCNJ
The regionally prominent Lions remain among the NJAC’s most consistent contenders. TCNJ finished 24th at the Connecticut College Invitational, one of the deepest Division III women’s races of the regular season featuring 16 nationally ranked teams. Senior Naesha Gadie, a 2023 all-conference finisher, has returned from injury to lead the team with a standout performance at Conn College. Teagan Walker, a three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week, continues to anchor a strong underclass group—helping TCNJ capture five straight Rookie of the Week honors heading into championship season.