Looking to the Future with Villanova's Strategic Plan

Women’s Cross-Country Team Wins NCAA Title
By Me g a n O’Sh e a
Villanova women’s cross-country has
always had a rich history and tradition,
having won seven NCAA championships
entering into the 2009 season.
However, it had been 11 years since they
had brought home the last one. After finishing
sixth at the NCAA Championships
a year ago, the 2009 squad was ready to
bring a national title back to Villanova.
Beginning the season ranked No. 5 in
the nation, the Wildcats first knew they
had something special after winning the
prestigious Bill Dellinger Invitational in
Eugene, Ore., defeating then No. 2 Oregon
by 19 points. From there, Villanova
moved up to a No. 2 ranking and
remained there for the eight weeks leading
up to the NCAA Championships.
The Wildcats then clinched an impressive
victory at the Panorama Farms Invitational
in Virginia, where all four of the top
runners broke a course record.
Entering the BIG EAST Championships
as defending champions, they faced
their toughest challenge yet, facing six
other nationally ranked squads. Using the
same pack strategy that had helped them
previously, the Wildcats trudged through
thick mud and standing water to easily
win its 12th BIG EAST, defeating second
place West Virginia by 44 points. Junior
Sheila Reid took home the individual title
as each Villanova runner earned All-BIG
EAST honors.
Next, at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic
Regional, Villanova again dominated,
winning by 54 points. Reid was named
Mid-Atlantic Region Female Athlete of
the Year for her winning performance.
Head coach Gina Procaccio was named
Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year as
every Wildcat earned All-Region honors.
The undefeated season culminated
at the NCAA Championships in Terre
Haute, Ind., with the ’Cats looking
to knock off defending champion and
No. 1-ranked University of Washington.
Again the Wildcats cruised to victory,
besting runner-up Florida State by 47
points. It was Villanova’s eighth title and
Procaccio’s first as head coach.
“The girls were phenomenal,” Procaccio
said afterwards. “It has been an amazing
season, and all seven ran so well today.”
Reid, junior Amanda Marino, sophomore
Bogdana Mimic, junior Ali Smith
and senior Nicole Schappert earned All-
American honors, the first time in Villanova
history that all five scoring runners
have done so.
Procaccio was named Division I Cross
Country Coach of the Year following the
race. With just one member of the championship
squad graduating, the Wildcats
could repeat next year.
The Villanova women’s cross-country squad outdistanced top-ranked University of Washington to win the 2009 NCAA Championships. It was the eighth
title in the program’s history and the first for Gina Procaccio (second from left) as head coach of the Wildcats.
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