CASTINE, Maine -- Maine Maritime Academy women's cross country prepares for the 2018 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship on Sunday, October 28 at the Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast, Maine.

Head Coach Ryan King is leading the Mariners in his eighth season. Last season the Mariners finished sixth at the NAC Championship, led by Sierra James (Campton, N.H.) who placed 17th out of the 95 runners. The Mariners return their top three finishers from last year's NAC Championship, including the team's top finisher, James. This fall the Mariners have been preparing for the NAC Championships by competing at difficult courses against talented programs and look to improve on last year's performance on their home course.

The Mariners have been picked to place fifth in the NAC Women's Cross Country Pre-Championship Poll. Voting for the Pre-Championship Poll was conducted among the league's head women's cross country coaches.

Who to Watch:

Sierra James	Abigail L'Abbé	Catherine Cornell	Alex Allen	Robyn Larrabee
Senior	Junior	Freshman	Senior	Senior
Campton, N.H.	Topsham, Maine	Portland, Maine	Easton, Maine	Caribou, Maine
NAC Runer of the Week 10/16. Led Mariners in every race this season.	Consistent top-five finisher for the team.	Consistent top-five finisher for the team.	Consistent top-five finisher for the team.	Consistent top-five finisher for the team.

2018 Championship Information:

• Date – Sunday, October 28, 2018
• Location - Troy Howard Middle School, Belfast, Maine
• Start – 11:00 a.m.
• Competing Institutions – Maine Maritime Academy, UMaine-Farmington, Thomas, SUNY Canton, NVU-Lyndon, Husson, UMaine-Presque Isle, NVU-Johnson.
• Format – 5K Course features include: starting line on the football field with a long straightaway for a fair and safe start, a long gradual uphill just after the first mile, wide grass paths through a rolling meadow, several short and steep hills in the wooded part of the course, and a slight downhill for a fast finish. This is one of the most fan friendly cross country courses you will ever see. Just by standing at the start/finish area you will see the runners at least five times. 

The Competitors: