MIDDLEBURY, VT (October 31, 2026) – The Tufts University women's cross country team placed third at the 2026 NESCAC Championship on Saturday, scoring 94 points at Middlebury College. The Jumbos finished well ahead of fourth-place Bates College (131) and fifth-place Connecticut College (156) in the 11-team field.
Williams College won the team title with 36 points, and host Middlebury was second with 40. Tufts improves on last year's fourth-place finish.
Sophomore
Zui Chinchalkar led the Jumbos, taking 10th overall in 21:40.7. Senior
Katya Henisz was 14th (21:51.9), joining Chinchalkar as NESCAC All-Conference recipients for finishing in the top 14.
Sophomore
Lily Simmonds missed All-Conference by one place, finishing in 15th (21:54.1). Tufts' top three finished within 13.4 seconds of one another. Junior
Deirdre Flanagan placed 22nd (22:07.5), and junior
Zoe Margolies was 36th (22:35.4) to complete the Jumbos' scoring five.
First-years
Addison Julian (38th, 22:37.6) and
Claire Palmer (45th, 22:47.7) were Tufts' sixth and seventh runners. They were followed by junior
Samara McVey (51st, 22:55.4), first-year
Kajol Karra (52nd, 22:56.5) and first-year
Esme Gulbransen (56th, 23:04.5).
The remaining Tufts finishers were first-year
Sylvia Perrin (70th, 23:27.1), junior
Eleanor Whitehouse (77th, 23:35.7), first-year
Kat Piantka (84th, 23:42.1), sophomore
Kayleigh Forde (92nd, 23:49.8) and sophomore
Alanna Jacob (116th, 24:24.1).
Middlebury senior Audrey Maclean won the individual title in 20:54.4. Her teammate, sophomore Annelise Jensen, was second (21:14.1), and Williams junior Kate Tuttle placed third (21:19.5). Conditions were dry and sunny with a light wind for the 6k race.
Tufts will next compete at the NCAA Division III Regional Championship on November 14.
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