Women's Cross Country Announces Team Award Winners for 2009

The Penn State Behrend Women's Cross Country team recently announced its team award winners for the 2009 season.  The Behrend women's cross country team award winners are chosen by a vote of team members.

Junior runner Emily Berry (Reno/Rocky Grove) was named the program's MVP for her performances during the 2009 fall season.  At the conference championships Berry had an eleventh place finish with a time of 27:19.  Berry also tallied a sixth place finish at the Behrend Invitational on her way to another selection to the All-Conference team for the third straight season.

Rookie of the Year honors went to Kaitlynn Patterson (Erie/Villa Maria).  Patterson had a good performance at the 2009 AMCC championships by recording a time of 28:48, which was good enough for nineteenth place.  Patterson has tremendous capabilities and the team will count on her to perform even better next season.

Junior Tanisha Wheatley (Saltsburg/Kiski) was tabbed the Most Improved Runner for the 2009 season.  Wheatley strived to get better every day and it show in her performance in several events.  Wheatley ran a time of 28:19 which placed her eighteenth at the AMCC championships.  Wheatley continues to grow into a complete runner and she will look to have an even bigger season in 2010.

The Leadership/Scholarship award winner went to sophomore Jenna Fatica (Erie/Villa Maria).  Fatica had a tremendous 2009 season which saw her end up on the AMCC All-Conference team for the second consecutive year.  She placed fourteenth at the conference championships with a time of 27:41.  Fatica was also named as the team's representative to the All-Conference Sportsmanship Team.