Smith's Individual Title Paces Women's Cross Country To First Ivy Heps Win Since '85

Oct 29, 2016

Junior Courtney Smith won the Ivy Heptagonal Championship individual title, Harvard's first since 1989. (Gil Talbot)
COMPLETE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S RESULTS
PRINCETON, N.J. – It was a historic day for the Harvard women's cross country team at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships at West Windsor Fields. Junior Courtney Smith won the individual title in 20:19.6 to lead the Crimson to its first Heps title since 1985 and seventh overall in program history. Smith's finish, the first individual title for Harvard since Suzanne Jones in 1989, was part of an outstanding team performance for the Crimson.
Harvard's top five finishers placed in the top 12 of the race, as the Crimson totaled 33 points, ahead of Yale (69 points), and Penn (77 points) on the podium. Smith was followed by freshman Erin Dietz, who placed fifth in 20:37.8 and freshman Judy Pendergast, who finished sixth in 20:39.4. Another member of Harvard's standout freshman class, Lisa Tertsch, finished ninth in 20:47.6.

Junior Elianna Shwayder placed 12^th in 20:51.7 to round out the scoring for Harvard.

The men's team, led by sophomore Kieran Tuntivate's 18^th place finish, finished in eighth place with 194 points. Penn (38 points), Princeton (51 points) and Columbia (81 points) took the top three spots.

Tuntivate finished the 8K course in 24:16.8, one of his fastest times at that distance this season. Closed behind Tuntivate was senior Brandon Price, who finished in 20^th place in 24:19.8, his best showing at Heps in his Harvard career. Freshman Murimi Nyamu finished in 62^nd with a time of 25:14.2, while classmate Will Battershill finished in 68^th in 25:17.3. Junior Tyler Spear was Harvard's fifth finisher, placing 73^rd overall in 25:32.1.

Harvard is off next weekend before returning to action on Nov. 11 at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship, held at Van Cortlandt Park in New York.

Women's Results – 6K1. Courtney Smith (Harvard), 20:19.62. Ashley MontGomery (Penn), 20:31.7
3. Emily Waligurski (Yale), 20:36.4
4. Taylor Worthy (Brown), 20:37.8
5. Erin Dietz (Harvard), 20:37.86. Judy Pendergast (Harvard), 20:39.49. Lisa Tertsch (Harvard), 20:47.612. Elianna Shwayder (Harvard), 20:51.7
 Men's Results – 8K1. James Randon (Yale), 23:47.5
2. William Paulson (Princeton), 23:51.8
3. Conor Lundy (Princeton), 23:53.5
4. Nicholas Tuck (Penn), 23:56.7
5. Brendan Shearn (Penn), 23:58.3
18. Kieran Tuntivate (Harvard), 24:16.820. Brandon Price (Harvard), 24:19.862. Murimi Nyamu (Harvard), 25:14.268. Will Battershill (Harvard), 25:17.373. Tyler Spear (Harvard), 25:32.1