LEBANON, Pa. – The Ursinus Women's Cross Country team began its 2024 season with an efficient performance at the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen Invitational on Saturday morning.
 
 
The Bears finished fifth as a team with 66 points while posting a top-five average time of 20:17.7 that was 48 seconds faster than last year's performance at the Dutchmen Invitational.
 
 
Junior Mia Sideris led Ursinus on the course with a personal best 5K time of 18:53.2 and finished eighth overall. Senior Meghan Carroll was second among Bears runners and 24th overall with a personal best time of 19:56.3 and classmate Ryann Wauthier recorded a personal best time as well in 28th overall at 20:09.2
 
 
First-year Mary Acar impressed in her first collegiate race by finishing with a time of 20:56.7 to finish fourth among the Bears and 48th overall. Senior Candace Hudson kept the personal best time setting with her time of 21:49.1 to finish 79th while first-year Elizabeth Dill tallied a time of 21:57.9 in her collegiate debut race.
 
 
Junior Kirra Norling (22:04.9), sophomore Veronica Filippone (22:32.3-personal best), junior Corrine Martello (22:38.6-personal best), first-years Lindsay Solomon (23:14.2), Aubrey Myers (23:38.5), and Julianna Mullen (23:54.0), along with sophomore Kira Wise (24:29.0) plus first-year Nicole Parisi (25:32.6) completed the Bears field of runners.
 
 
Ursinus returns to action next Saturday, September 14th as they will compete in Stockton's Osprey Open at 11:15 a.m.