DEVENS, Mass. – Sophomore Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) captured the individual title to lead the Bridgewater State University women's cross country team to a second place finish at the 2023 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Cross Country Championships held on Friday at the Fort Devens Course in Devens, Massachusetts.

Cass outdistanced the field of 65 runners as she completed the five-kilometer course in a time of 19:10.88. Cass is the Bears' first MASCAC women's cross country individual champion since Krysta Zbikowksi in 2013.

BSU senior Nicole Major (Andover, Mass.) and junior Lily Valcovic (East Taunton, Mass.) also garnered All-MASCAC honors for the Bears. Major placed third at the meet with a time of 20:02.75 while Valcovic posted a time of 20:14.94 to finish fifth overall.

Westfield State University (34 pts.) captured the team title as the Owls edged the runner-up Bears (42 pts.). Framingham State University (72 pts.) rounded out the top three teams.

Juniors Kate Brown (Acushnet, Mass.) and Ana Imrie (Arlington, Mass..) rounded out the Bears' top five runners at the meet. Brown placed 17th with a time of 21:59.31 as she broke the 22-minute barrier for the first time in her career. Imrie crossed the finish line in a season-best time 23:17.71 to place 21st overall.

After helping the Bears to a second place finish, BSU head coach Christine Kloiber was voted by heer peers as the 2023 BSN Sports Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year.

Following a week off, the BSU cross country teams will compete at the New England Division III Championships held at Franklin Park in Boston on Saturday, November 11th.