Trinity Women’s Cross Country Builds Momentum With Strong Start to 2025 Season

Annika Haley ’26

Sports Editor

The Trinity College women’s cross country team opened its 2025 campaign with a series of strong performances across early-season meets. 

The Bantams kicked off the season on Saturday, Sept. 6 at the George Suitor Invitational, where they placed second out of eight teams. The meet was held at Wickham Park in Manchester, CT and began with a ceremony honoring retired Coach George Suitor, marking the renaming of the event in his honor. Suitor led Trinity’s cross country and track and field programs for two decades before retiring in 2022. 

Paige Jaenicke ‘27 started her junior season on a strong note, earning the individual title with a winning time of 19:25.8, which was almost 18 seconds ahead of the runner-up on the 5K course. Ali Gall ’26 also placed in the top three, finishing third with a time of 19:56.10, while Maggie Furrer ‘26 rounded out the Bantams’ top-10 finishes, placing ninth overall with a time of 20:35.00.

Trinity continued its season two weeks later at the Purple Valley Invitational, hosted by Williams College on Saturday, Sept. 20. The Bantams placed fourth in the team standings, with Jaenicke leading the team and finishing 10th overall with a time of 22:51.2. Furrer followed close behind with 23:49.7, while Ava Del Vescovo ‘27 (24:54.5), Zoe Maggioni ‘27 (24:57.3) and Mei-Ling Bielagus ‘29 (24:58.7) finished within the top 50 runners.

Furrer has been a consistent force for the Bantams this fall. She has continued to build upon an already impressive collegiate career. Last year, she secured her spot at the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championship, and this year she continues to excel. 

The Tripod had the chance to speak with Furrer, along with the two other women’s cross country captains, Gall and Kerry Gannon ‘26, about the kick off of the 2025 season. 

The Bantams participated in the Paul Short Run on Friday, Oct. 3, and the Keene State Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 4. Furrer reflected on these recent meets, noting how both races showcased the squad’s progress. “At Lehigh, our returners averaged about a seven-minute improvement from last year’s race which we’re very proud of. The team also had a great showing at Keene State, setting a strong tone for the rest of the season. Everyone’s been putting in the work, and it’s awesome to see that effort translate into results. Between both meets, nearly everyone walked away with a personal record or [a] course PR. Our team split up this weekend: some people raced Paul Short on Friday and some at Keene on Saturday. Through this I think we all made an effort of communicating and supporting each other even when we weren’t all together.”

Looking back on early-season competitions like the George Suitor Invitational and the Purple Valley Invitational, Kerry emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive and united mindset. “As we head into the early-season races, our priority is maintaining a positive team atmosphere and lifting each other up. These meets are a great chance to gain racing experience against other NESCAC and regional teams, all while building momentum toward our main goals: performing our best at NESCACs and regionals.”

As senior leaders, the captains have made it a point to create a culture of encouragement and accountability. Gall spoke about the leadership approach that the captains share. “We all do our best to lead by example and support our teammates in any way we can. We make it a point to celebrate everyone’s individual victories, whether it’s a PR, getting through a tough workout or recovering from an injury. A positive team culture is so important to having a successful and rewarding season, so we always emphasize supporting one another and enjoying all of the small moments along the way.”