ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT women's cross country team opens the 2025 season at Brockport's Tom Balon Alumni Classic this Saturday (Sep. 6). Here are six things you need to know about the squad.
 
LOOKING BACK
Last season, RIT placed eighth out of 21 teams at the NCAA Division III Niagara Regional Championships, following a fifth-place finish at the Liberty League Championships.

The Tigers won the Highlander Invitational, as well as finishing second at the Terry Rodenbeck Invitational and third at both the Harry F. Anderson Invitational and the Kara Hall Memorial Invitational.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS
RIT was recognized for its hard work in the classroom by being named a USTFCCA All-Academic Team by posting a 3.791 team grade point average last year.
 
Teams were recognized for accumulating at least a 3.1 cumulative grade point average, while individuals were honored for maintaining at least a 3.3 GPA and finishing in the top 25 percent of their respective NCAA Regional Championships.
 
THEY'RE BACK
Several top performers return for this season, including junior Kathryn Arbegast, who led the team with a 21st-place finish at the NCAA Division III Niagara Regional Championships. Eva Reilly, a junior, and senior Abby Thomas also make their return after putting together strong results in 2024.

NEW FACES
The Tigers are boosted by six newcomers, including transfer Micah Gordley. The senior joins RIT after competing for three years at Arcadia (Pa.), where she earned an automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Division III National Championships after placing fourth at the 2023 NCAA Division III Metro Regional Championships.
 
First-years Juliana Cavanaugh, Valerie Gilbert, Jacqueline Gill, Victoria Raghubar, and Corina Zheng will also look to make contributions this season.
 
CLOSE TO HOME
The Tigers will compete close to home for this year's NCAA Division III Niagara Regional Championships, which will be held at nearby Genesee Valley Park. Hosted by the University of Rochester, the championship race is scheduled for Saturday, November 15.
 

2025 SCHEDULE
The Tigers open the season on Saturday (Sep. 6) at Brockport's Tom Balon Alumni Classic. RIT competes in Rochester's Yellowjacket Invitational on Sep. 20 followed by Roberts Wesleyan's Harry F. Anderson Invitational on Sep. 27. October kicks off with the team travelling to Fredonia to race in the Kara Hall Memorial Invitational on Oct. 4, before taking part in Houghton's Highlander Invitational on Oct. 11.
 
The regular season concludes with the Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble on October 18 in Ohio. Championship season begins on Nov. 1 with the Liberty League Championships in Canton, N.Y. Two weeks later, the NCAA Division III Niagara Region Championships will be held at Genesee Valley Park in Rochester on Nov. 15. The Division III National Championship will be held at the Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday, Nov. 22.