CLINTON, N.Y. – The Cortland women's cross country team, ranked ninth in the NCAA Division III Atlantic Region, opened its season with a third-place finish at the Hamilton College Short Course Invitational.

Ithaca and Oneonta each finished with 30 points, followed by Cortland with 84 and Hamilton with 92.

Senior Mary Baughman (Rush/Rush-Henrietta) led the Red Dragons with an eighth-place time of 15:30 over 4,000 meters at the Hamilton College Golf Course. Ithaca's Taryn Cordani won the race in 14:11, 42 seconds ahead of runner-up Denise Ibarra of Ithaca.

Junior Jasmine Meerdink (Rome/Rome Free Academy) was 13th in 15:49 and senior Allison Schumann (North Salem) placed 19th in 16:08. Two other Red Dragons finished in the top half of the 67-runner field. Sophomore Gwen Proper (Sylvan Beach/Camden) was 23rd in 16:23 and junior Megan Wagner (Niskayuna) crossed the finish line 33rd in 16:37.

Also for Cortland, freshman Eliza Nichols (Smithtown/Smithtown West) finished 41st (16:51) and junior Melissa Emilio (Oneonta) ended 53rd (18:00).

Cortland returns to action next Saturday at the University of Rochester Yellowjacket Invitational.

Complete Results:
Women
Men