Cass Captures Third Straight MASCAC Individual Title

By Jim Fenton

WESTFIELD, Mass. -- The three-peat is complete for Bridgewater State University senior women's cross country standout Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.).

Cass won her third consecutive Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference championship on Saturday afternoon at Stanley Park.

She completed the five-kilometer course in 17:59.71, roughly 34 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, junior Reese Stevens (Agawam, Mass.) of Westfield State University. Stevens had a time of 18:33.77.

Cass is the first BSU runner to win three straight conference titles since Molly Rouillard did so from 2010-12.

The MASCAC record is four consecutive championships, accomplished by Jess Cardin of Westfield State University from 2014-17.

After finishing 36th with a time of 22:02.84 in her MASCAC debut in 2022, Cass dominated the conference championship event three straight years.

In her final MASCAC race, Cass again easily topped the field of 59 runners to earn her third straight MASCAC Runner of the Year award. Cass helped the Bears finish second for the third straight year.

Host Westfield State won its sixth straight MASCAC title and 19th in the last 21 years with 24 points.

The Bears, with three of the top 15 finishers, were second with 67 points. Worcester State (81) was third followed by Framingham State (97), Fitchburg State (141) and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (143).

Cass won the 2023 title at Devens, Mass., in 19:10.88 ahead of Westfield State's Shea Hamel (19:32.65). In 2024, Cass' time was 18:31.89 at Leominster, Mass., with Westfield State's Tealei Chandonnet taking second in 18:56.16.

Since her first MASCAC race in '22, Cass reduced her time by just over four minutes.

Sophomore Rhiannon Vos (Marstons Mills, Mass.) continued her solid first season with the Bears by being the second BSU runner to cross the finish line.

Vos, a transfer from Merrimack College, joined Cass in earning All-MASCAC honors by finishing ninth in a time of 19:43.80.

Freshman Olivia Pendleton (Yarmouthport, Mass.) was 11th for the Bears in 20:05.02 while sophomore Olivia Downin (Hudson, Mass.) placed 15th in 20:34.71. Pendleton was the top rookie runner at the meet as she earned MASCAC Rookie of the Year honors.

The other two BSU runners were graduate student Lisa Jaeger (Halle, Germany), who was 47th in 24:02.41, and sophomore Rhea Khanderia (Marlborough, Mass.), who was 54th in 25:28.86.

BSU will take part in the NCAA Division III East Region Championships on Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Contoocook, N.H.

Cass will be bidding for a third straight trip to the NCAA Championships, being held on Nov. 22 in Spartansburg, S.C.

Photos Courtesy of Westfield State Photographer Cole Grady