Oct. 26, 2006

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Fresh off its perfect 5-0 dual-meet record during the regular season, the Navy women's cross country team will embark on its postseason action with the Patriot League Championship in Hamilton, N.Y., on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

The Midshipmen are looking for their first league title since joining the Patriot League in 2003. Navy finished second at the league championship in 2004 before placing fifth in last year's championship at Lehigh's Goodman Campus Course.

"Going into the championship happy and healthy with the entire team is three-quarters of the battle -- that's where we are today," stated Navy head coach Karen Boyle. "Beating Army and going 5-0 has given everyone a great deal of confidence."

Navy enters this weekend's league championship ranked as the ninth-best team in the Mid-Atlantic Region, a position it has held throughout the entire season. The Mids are only one position behind eighth-ranked Bucknell, who was picked to claim this year's title in the Patriot League preseason poll.

The Midshipmen have already competed on this year's championship course, as they placed first among five teams, including Colgate, at the Harry Lang Invitational back on Sept. 1.

"Bucknell has their entire Championship team back from last year and they'll be very tough, but I feel we can give them a good run for their money," stated Boyle. "Racing on this course earlier in the season is also a nice confidence boost. At the same time, we're keeping our eyes on Colgate and Lehigh. I really feel Colgate is totally underrated and it's their course. Many things can happen and that's why we run the race."

Navy has also raced against and defeated Patriot League members American and Army during the season. The Midshipmen placed second to finish ahead the fourth-place Eagles in Navy's Salty Seadog Invitational on Sept. 16. Navy claimed fourth at Penn State's Spiked Shoe Invitational, landing four places ahead of Army. Two weeks ago, the Mids defeated the Black Knights, 21-38, to capture the N-Star in Annapolis.

Looking to guide the Midshipmen to their first league title is three-time 2006 Patriot League Runner of the Week Justine Whipple (Duxbury, Mass.). She has boasted Navy's fastest time in each of her four races this year, owning the best overall time in two meets. Whipple opened the year by winning at Colgate's Harry Lang Invitational with a time of 22:57, the sixth-fastest time in course history. Two weeks ago against Army in Annapolis, she covered the 6k course in 22:15.13, the third-fastest clocking in course history, and finished more than 40 seconds ahead of Army's top finisher.

Senior Emily Castro (Centennial, Colo.) has been the next Navy runner to follow Whipple across the finish line in each of those four races. She also posted the team's best time in the Salty Seadog Invitational with a 23:23.99 showing. Against Army two weeks ago, she finished second overall with the ninth-fastest time in course history, a 22:54.33 effort. She has finished among the top-15 in four of her five races this season.

Senior Allison Barlow (Orange Park, Fla.) and junior Kyleigh Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.) have interchanged between Navy's third- and fourth-fastest runners for much of the season. Barlow finished among the top-15 in both home races this season, while Millhouse owns three top-15 times.

Looking to rounding out Navy's scoring on Saturday are seniors Juliann Jordan (Kanehoe, Hawai'i) and Jade Baum (Columbia, Pa.) and sophomore Maureen Dooley (Durham, Conn.). Jordan has completed the team's scoring-five twice this year, while Baum and Dooley each have posted Navy's fifth-fastest time once apiece.

Following this weekend's league championship, Navy will travel to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship in Lock Haven, Pa., on Saturday, Nov. 11.