POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Fairfield University Women's Cross Country started the 2026 campaign at the Marist Season Opener on Friday evening at the Preserve at Vassar in Poughkeepsie.
Isabella Cardozo set the pace for the Stags in her collegiate debut, completing the 5K course in seventh place.
Cardozo clocked in at 18:58.3 followed by
Mia Strazzella in 10th place with a time of 19:14.0. Fairfield five scorers where among the top 10 finishers, and eight of 11 Stags placed in the top half of the 44-runner field.
Sophie Cheesman (19:19.4),
Carlina Castro (19:20.5), and
Taylor Partridge (19:22.9) finished in succession in 12th through 14th place to factor into the team scoring.
The Stags finished third on the team ledger to defeat Siena and slot just four points behind second-place Albany. Host Marist won the event led by three of the top four individual finishers.
Bridget Reidy added a 17th-place performance with a time of 19:29.1 and
Caroline Cox cracked the top 20 in her collegiate debut at 19:34.9. Fellow rookie
Emma Preissman was right behind her in 22nd place with a time of 19:39.4.
Rounding out the Stags' 11 runners on the day were
Callie DeDecko (20:22.3),
Michaela Kenny (20:32.6), and
Anna Heras (23:14.5).
Albany's Skyler Hines was the individual champion with a time of 18:21.9.
Fairfield Cross Country is back in action in two weeks on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Jasper Fall XC Invite at Blue Sky Sports Complex in Middletown, N.Y. The course will also play host of the 2026 Metro Conference Championship.
