BRUNSWICK, Maine – Junior Nicole Major (Andover, Mass.) placed 69th out of field of 246 runners to lead the Bridgewater State University women's cross country team at the 2022 NCAA Division III East Region Cross Country Championships held on Saturday at Bowdoin College.

Major covered the six-kilometer course in a time of 24:38.4. 

Senior Maura Bruns (Franklin, Mass.) placed 90th with a personal-best time of 25:05.0, while sophomore Lily Valcovic (East Taunton, Mass.) crossed the finish line in 25:50.2 (115th overall) to round out the Bears' top three harriers. Senior Allison Raposo (Cumberland, R.I.) was the next BSU runner across the line as she placed 134th with a time of 26:46.2.

Major, Valcovic and Bruns were competing in a 6k race for the first time in their careers.

Senior Jillian Richardson (Auburn, Maine) of Bates College won the individual championship with a time of 21:41.1.

MIT captured the team title, while Bates, Brandeis University, Tufts University, host Bowdoin and Wellesley College rounded out the top six. MIT automatically qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships which will take place next Saturday at Forest Akers East in Lansing, Michigan.

The Bears finished 20th in the team standings.

"As a program we performed well for the year with much positive progress," said BSU Head Coach Christine Kloiber.

"I think it's safe to say that this success will stick in the minds of our returners for next season, Kloiber added. "They'll remember what they needed to do to get to this point and will be ready to repeat that success and be eager to take the next step in the region."