Maureen McCandless set the standard for all women’s cross country runners at Pitt by finishing… Maureen McCandless set the standard for all women’s cross country runners at Pitt by finishing third place this past Friday at the Big East Championships in Boston. Both the men’s and women’s teams finished seventh in the championship.

McCandless’ accomplishment raised the bar for all women runners at Pitt, achieving the best finish in the school’s history with a time of 20:11. The previous record was set by Lori Wood in 1985, when she placed fifth in the Big East Championships. McCandless’ performance also exceeded the previous course record of 20:23.

“It was one of the most exciting finishes I’ve ever seen in cross country,” head coach Alonzo Webb said. “It was a lot closer than it looks [on paper].”

McCandless positioned herself between the fifth- and sixth-place runners throughout the course of the race. She then made her move toward the lead in the final 400-meter stretch.

“She really started realizing she could catch the other girls, and she did,” Webb said.

Her third-place finish also marks an impressive win over some of the top competitors in the nation and even the world. She met head to head with a handful of All-American runners, only to finish behind two of the prominent athletes in the race.

“I was ready,” McCandless said. “I tend to step it up for the championship meets.”

The first-place finisher was Providence’s Kim Smith, who was a member of New Zealand’s Olympic team at Athens, Greece, this past summer. Ireland native Mary Cullen finished second in the race, making McCandless the first American to cross the finish line this past Friday.

“I was not confident to run against these girls in the past,” McCandless said. “The Big East [Championship] definitely helped.”

Lauren Shaffer and Nicola Angstadt finished subsequently with times of 22:13 and 22:40, good enough for 35th and 47th place, respectively.

Sophomore Tim Konoval led the men’s team with a 29th place finish, followed by freshman Sam Bair at 37th place, with respectable times of 24:55 and 25:12. It was an impressive finish for rookie Bair, who couldn’t even make the traveling squad two weeks prior to the Penn State meet on Oct. 17.

“We know he has the talent and he’s just now reaching it,” Webb said.

This surge of success comes at the perfect moment for Pitt as the NCAA Regional Championship approaches. Webb credits the team’s schedule for its late-season success.

“We put them under the fire with some of the toughest competition in the nation,” Webb said. “That was our goal for the whole season — to peak at the championship meet.”

With McCandless’ newfound confidence, she goes into the NCAA Regional Championship competing to obtain her ultimate goal.

“My real goal for the year was to be an All-American,” McCandless said.

She will get her shot at qualifying for the NCAA Championships Nov. 13 at State College. Webb has high expectations for McCandless in the upcoming meet as well.

“I can see her as a regional champion,” Webb said.