MANSFIELD, Mass. – The Southern New Hampshire University women's cross country team has been predicted to finish second this season.  The pre-season poll, released Monday, has the Penmen with two first-place votes, and 77 points by a vote of the NE10 women's cross country coaches.  

The Penmen trail only defending NE10 champion Southern Connecticut State University, which garnered 99 points and nine place votes by the conference coaches.

SNHU is followed by Saint Michael's College (76), Adelphi University (75), and Saint Anselm College (61).  The remainder of the poll finds Bentley University (59), Assumption University (44), Franklin Pierce University (41), University of New Haven (38), American International College (24), and Pace University (10) in spots 6-11.

Jacob Simon has joined the program as Head Cross Country Coach, and with Director of Cross Country Lex Butler have a roster of eleven runners, which includes four freshman.  Junior Corrina Obernesser (Westminster, Colo.) helped lead the 2023 squad to a fourth place finish in the NE10 Championships, a third place run in the NCAA East Regional, and a trip to the NCAA Division II National Championships in Joplin, Missouri.  She was named Second-Team All-Conference last season. 

The NE10 Cross Country Championships are scheduled for Saturday, October 26, at the Hopkinton (N.H.) Fair Grounds, and will be hosted by Franklin Pierce University.  

The Penmen will open the 2024 season at the 1st Annual University of Hartford Cross Country Invitational in Connecticut on Sept. 7.

Rank      Women's Poll   Votes
1             Southern Connecticut  99 (9)
2             SNHU   77 (2)
3             Saint Michael's 76
4             Adelphi               75
5             Saint Anselm    61
6             Bentley 59
7             Assumption       44
8             Franklin Pierce  41
9             New Haven        38
10           American Int'l   24
11           Pace      10