The Emory Women's Cross Country Team enjoyed one of its best seasons in school history, finishing 11th overall at the NCAA Division III National Championships.  The squad, coached by John Curtin, advanced to nationals after dominating with a near-perfect performance at the South Regional Championship. In a sport that is often measured by individual success, the tightly-packed Eagles intimidated opponents with their enthusiasm and teamwork-driven formations.

The team's Most Valuable Runner, Amy DiBianca, finished among Emory's top-three runners in every meet of the season. The junior took charge of the heavy lifting late in the season, starting with UAAs, and continuing through nationals. Her second place performance out of 150 runners at the regional championships keyed a 2-3-5-6-10 team performance, and garnered her All-Region honors for the third time. Her time of 22:19 is the third-fastest 6K time in school history. She was named to the All-UAA First Team after finishing fifth overall and leading the Eagles to a runner-up finish at the conference championship.   

Sophomore Lauren Shores paced the group in the early part of the season. She led the squad to team victories at both the Sewanee Invitational and the Georgia State Invitational. Her three top-5 finishes included a third place at Sewanee and she was the top Division III finisher at the Vanderbilt Invitational. She finished in 11th place overall at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships, earning All-UAA Second Team honors, and she made the All-Region team after helping the Eagles run away with the South. Shores, the top Emory finisher in five of the team's eight meets, ran the fourth-fastest 5K time in school history with her career-best 17:58 at the Auburn Invitational.

Junior Caroline Hagedorn raced to another consistent year, finishing in the top three for the Eagles in every meet during the season. She took All-Region honors for the third time, finishing fifth at the regional championships, and she earned All-UAA honors for the third consecutive year with an eighth place finish at the conference meet. She ran a career-best time of 18:02 at the Auburn Invitational, giving her the fifth-fastest 5K time in school history.

Senior Kate Bowman celebrated her first season at Emory by finishing third at the regional meet with a time of 22:20, the fourth-fastest 6K time in school history. The All-Region runner finished in the top five for the Eagles in every meet during the fall. She was named the team's Most Outstanding Newcomer.

Katie Parafinczuk rallied midway through the season to establish her spot among Emory's top-five runners. Once there, the feisty junior continued to roll, earning All-Region honors for the second time on the heels of her 10th place finish at regionals. She ran a career-best time of 19:27 for 5K at the Auburn Invitational and was ultimately named the team's Most Improved Athlete.

Freshmen Melissa Jones, Natalie Waryck, and Rebecca Willett made an immediate impact, cracking the lineup from the first meet of the year. Jones earned All-Region honors by finishing 19th at the regional meet. She finished in the top six for Emory at every meet this season, running a season-best time of 18:48 for 5K at the Auburn Invitational. Waryck ran a season-best time of 20:36 for 5K at the Sewanee Invitational, and finished as one of Emory's top-10 in all six meets she ran during the fall.  Willett was a model of consistency, finishing in the top seven for the Eagles in every meet. Her season best time of 20:32 for 5K came at the Auburn Invitational.

NCAA Division III All-South Region
Amy DiBianca                 First Team              Winston-Salem, NC (Mount Tabor)
Kate Bowman                 First Team              Austin, TX (St. Stephen's Episcopal)
Caroline Hagedorn          First Team              Atlanta, GA (Westminster)
Lauren Shores                 First Team              Manchester, MO (Parkway South)
Katie Parafinczuk            Second Team         Delmar, NY (Bethlehem Central)
Melissa Jones                  Third Team             Zionsville, IN (Zionsville Community)

All-University Athletic Association
Amy DiBianca                 First Team              Winston-Salem, NC (Mount Tabor)
Caroline Hagedorn          Second Team         Atlanta, GA (Westminster)
Lauren Shores                 Second Team         Manchester, MO (Parkway South)