Cross Country Finishes Season Strong At USCAA National Championships

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- Two Penn State Brandywine cross country student-athletes finished in the top 20 at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Cross Country Championships on Friday morning in Virginia Beach, Va.

Running on the grounds of the Military Aviation Museum, McKenna Loney (Drexel Hill, Pa./Haverford) was the 18th woman to cross the finish line during the 6K championship race. Loney tallied a time of 29:46. She was just 1:11 off all-American pace as the top 14 runners earn all-American status from the USCAA. Loney is the second Lion to place in the top 20 at the USCAA National Championship, joining Catharine Mooney, who was 14th in 2019.

On the men's side, Christian Dzema (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) ran to a time of 30:55, just five seconds off his 8K personal-best time and 32 seconds off of all-American status. The All-Penn State University Athletic Conference runner placed 20th in a field of 84 competitors. Dzema is also the second men's cross country runner from Brandywine to place in the top 20 of the championship race and recorded Brandywine's fifth-fastest time at a USCAA Championship.

Jalin Haskins (Philadelphia, Pa.) completed the men's race in 37:05. The time was his second-fastest 8K mark of the season as he placed 64th.

Matt Frame of SUNY ESF earned medalist honors in the men's race, finishing in 26:57, while Bryce Hopper of SUNY ESF claimed the women's individual national championship in 24:51.