Avery Martin – Contributor
Senior Briana Grecco contributed substantially to the women’s cross-country team’s win at the NE10 championships as she won her second-straight All-Region honor.
The Owls won with 54 points, and Grecco finished sixth overall with a time of 22:36.70. She also made the all-conference honors first team. It was the first women’s team’s NE10 championship win in program history.
Nursing major Grecco, a senior, said, “I think it’s been a few years of working with Brian Nill and following his training plan, and I focus on the little things like rest, recovery and eating.”
Exercise science major Emilie Noreika, a graduate student, is also on the team and is a friend of Grecco’s.
“I feel like she is just always positive. She brings that energy to all of us,” said Noreika.
Head Coach Melissa Stoll praises Grecco as a team leader and someone whose talent is evident.
“She’s team captain. She leads by example. She is a contributor on many fronts outside of being a captain for this cross-crountry group. She is very much involved with all the girls,” said Stoll.
Noreika also said that leadership is one of Grecco’s best qualities.
“She is honestly a great leader. I feel like all of us just look up to her. She is the leader of our whole pack. Where she goes, all of us are going to go and follow her,” said Noreika.
Grecco herself attributes part of her stand-out performance to teamwork.
“I think this year we really focused on team bonding and making sure everyone was on the same page. We are making sure everyone’s mind is right, and their health is good as well,” said Grecco.
In the time that Stoll has coached Grecco, she has seen her times drop and her performance improve.
“She’s definitely improved her 6k and 5k. She’s been improving quite steadily,” said Stoll.
In 2021, Grecco finished 39th in the 6k at the NCAA East Reigonals with a time of 23:30:5. This year, she finished seventh with a time of 22:05.2. Due in part to this performance, Grecco and the team will be headed to the national championships in Joplin, Missouri on Nov. 18.
“I think we could surprise a lot of the schools with what we can do,” Grecco said. “We are all just looking to get a PR and run a really good race and use the competitive field to our advantage.”
Both Grecco and Noreika were excited to be representing the Owls on the national stage and hope the team impresses in Joplin.
Stoll is also thrilled to be heading to nationals. “It has always been the dream to win the NE10s as a team. I am happy the girls are going as a team. It is what we always strove for, and now it’s finally happening,” she said.
“For cross-country, we have nationals next weekend. The goal is to put our team out there. This is the second time in school history we made the national meet, and I think we have a really good team.”
Brianna Grecco
