Princeton, Hunt Unanimously Selected for Ivy Coaching Staff of the Year
November 06, 2024 | Women's Cross Country
PRINCETON, N.J. – Princeton was unanimously selected as the 2024 Ivy League Women's Cross Country Coaching Staff of the Year, the league announced on Wednesday.
Led by Head Coach Brad Hunt, the staff includes Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Michelle Eisenrich, as well as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Christopher Meng.
The honor comes after Princeton won the 2024 Ivy League Championship on Saturday, November 2 at the Meadows Campus Cross Country Course. The title was the program's 10th overall and first since 2015. It is also the first Ivy title earned under Head Coach Hunt.
Senior Mena Scatchard was the top Tiger finisher, taking second place overall with a time of 20:04.7 for a new personal best and a spot on the First Team All-Ivy.
Joining her on the First Team is sophomore Anna McNatt, who finished in third place overall with a time of 20:17.1, and senior Alexis Allen, who took seventh place with a time of 20:25.2.
Meg Madison took eighth place overall, clocking in at 20:28.2, earning her a spot on the Second Team All-Ivy.
Hunt became the head coach of Princeton women's cross country in August 2016, also serving as an assistant coach to the middle and distance runners with Princeton track and field.
In his second year leading the distance program, the Tigers went from sixth place in the Ivy League Cross Country Championships to fourth, and had the top individual finisher in Gabi Forrest - the eighth Tiger in program history to win the individual title. She went on to earn All-America honors with a 37th place finish in the NCAA Championships.
The following year, 2018, the team qualified for the NCAA championships and finished 21st. Along with Gabi Forrest, Hunt has sent 3 other individual student-athletes to the NCAA Cross Country Championship.
At last year's Ivy League Cross Country Championships, the Tigers came in second place, also taking silver at the 2022 and 2021 Heptagonal Championships.
Hunt called winning the title this year a "forever moment" for the team, as the Tigers were able to win on their new home course in celebration of the 50th anniversary of women's sports in the Ivy League.
The day was especially significant as Princeton swept both the men's and women's cross country championships in their first year hosting the event.
Coach Jason Vigilante and the men's cross country staff were also named Ivy League Coaching Staff of the Year as Princeton swept the awards too.
Hunt and his staff, who are currently ranked fourth regionally in the latest USTFCCCA polls, now look to NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals on November 15. The meet will be hosted by Penn State in University Park, Pa.
Led by Head Coach Brad Hunt, the staff includes Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Michelle Eisenrich, as well as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Christopher Meng.
The honor comes after Princeton won the 2024 Ivy League Championship on Saturday, November 2 at the Meadows Campus Cross Country Course. The title was the program's 10th overall and first since 2015. It is also the first Ivy title earned under Head Coach Hunt.
Senior Mena Scatchard was the top Tiger finisher, taking second place overall with a time of 20:04.7 for a new personal best and a spot on the First Team All-Ivy.
Joining her on the First Team is sophomore Anna McNatt, who finished in third place overall with a time of 20:17.1, and senior Alexis Allen, who took seventh place with a time of 20:25.2.
Meg Madison took eighth place overall, clocking in at 20:28.2, earning her a spot on the Second Team All-Ivy.
Hunt became the head coach of Princeton women's cross country in August 2016, also serving as an assistant coach to the middle and distance runners with Princeton track and field.
In his second year leading the distance program, the Tigers went from sixth place in the Ivy League Cross Country Championships to fourth, and had the top individual finisher in Gabi Forrest - the eighth Tiger in program history to win the individual title. She went on to earn All-America honors with a 37th place finish in the NCAA Championships.
The following year, 2018, the team qualified for the NCAA championships and finished 21st. Along with Gabi Forrest, Hunt has sent 3 other individual student-athletes to the NCAA Cross Country Championship.
At last year's Ivy League Cross Country Championships, the Tigers came in second place, also taking silver at the 2022 and 2021 Heptagonal Championships.
Hunt called winning the title this year a "forever moment" for the team, as the Tigers were able to win on their new home course in celebration of the 50th anniversary of women's sports in the Ivy League.
The day was especially significant as Princeton swept both the men's and women's cross country championships in their first year hosting the event.
Coach Jason Vigilante and the men's cross country staff were also named Ivy League Coaching Staff of the Year as Princeton swept the awards too.
Hunt and his staff, who are currently ranked fourth regionally in the latest USTFCCCA polls, now look to NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals on November 15. The meet will be hosted by Penn State in University Park, Pa.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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