Posted: Sep 10, 2022

Kuczorski paces Seahawks at Smith Invitational

Izabella Kuczorski ran the second-fastest 5K of her career (Photo by Jen McGuinness).

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Senior Izabella Kuczorski (Simsbury, Conn.) led the way as Salve Regina competed in the Smith College Cross Country Invitational on Saturday. The captain ran the second-fastest 5K of her career – and finished as the team's No. 1 runner for the first time – to set the pace for the Seahawks.

The Seahawk scorers formed a pack from the start, with Kuczorski, sophomore Bre Shipman (New Canaan, Conn.) and junior Maddie Mildrum (Hingham, Mass.) working together as they entered the trails and tackled the rolling hills that defined the course. Those hills would provide as much opposition as any of the runners in the field, slowing the pace for all but the deftest harriers.

Junior Olivia Forbes (North Attleboro, Mass.) and sophomore Avery Braccia (Bristol, Conn.) would also play a scoring role, while sophomore Delaney Marek (Westhampton, Mass.) and senior Paige McDade (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) completed the varsity seven for Salve Regina.

Laurel Kruger and Anna-Louise Wildes of Smith set the stage for a convincing win by the host Pioneers. Kruger crossed the finish line at 19:18.7 for the individual victory, with Wildes second in 19:26.1. Hanna Case, Anjali Jones and Margaret Weber finished sixth, seventh and eighth to close the scoring for Smith. The Pioneers posted a team score of 21 to finish comfortably ahead of Tufts (49) and Trinity (99).

Salve Regina performances included:

35. Izabella Kuczorski – 21:42.9

38. Bre Shipman – 21:54.7

41. Maddie Mildrum – 22:12.1

48. Olivia Forbes – 22:50.3

52. Avery Braccia – 23:08.2

55. Delaney Marek – 23:48.8

56. Paige McDade – 23:53.9

58. Lindsey Sirois – 24:05.1

59. Taryn Terracino – 24:05.4

62. Emma Schembari – 24:19.7

64. Nicole Nenninger – 24:36.8