Audrey MacLean and Claire Palmer of the ninth-ranked Middlebury women's cross country team garnered top conference recognition. MacLean was named the NESCAC's Most Outstanding Performer, while Palmer tallied Rookie of the Year honors. The duo was also tabbed as all-league first team selections.

MACLEAN'S HIGHLIGHTS

• MacLean defended her individual conference crown, claiming first out of 147 runners with a time of 20:47.8 on the 6K course. The Panther won the event by 17.2 seconds. 
• With her victory, MacLean became the first Middlebury women's cross country athlete to repeat as champion since Jessica Johnston won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000. 
• The Panther has finished third or better in every invite this season, including two other individual victories at the Hoffmann Invitational and Blue Race of the Connecticut College invite.
• MacLean joins Jess Manzer as the second runner to secure a spot on the first team three or more times. Manzer ran to four-straight top honors from 2001-04.

PALMER'S HIGHLIGHTS

• Palmer joins Molly Yazwinski (2000), Colette Whitney (2010), Erzsi Nagy (2013), Cassie Kearney (2018) and MacLean (2023) as the sixth Panther to be named the conference's top rookie.
• The runner excelled in her initial league championship race, crossing the finish line in third at 21:06.9.
• In six races this season, Palmer has claimed four podium finishes, headlined by crossing the finish line first at the Silloway Maple Syrup Challenge.
• Palmer is the 40th Middlebury women's cross country runner to be a first-team selection. 

The Panthers return to action on Saturday, November 16, when they travel to St. Lawrence for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships. The race is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.