The St. John’s Women’s Cross Country team is gearing up to race at the Big East Championships, their final meet of the season. The race takes place on Oct. 28 in Milwaukee, WI. 

In one of their best seasons in recent years, the team won the Metropolitan Championship on Oct. 7. This is the best place they’ve been in the meet since 1985. Only eight women competed in the meet and seven were able to earn a personal record. All eight women were able to finish in the first 50 runners of the meet.   

Claire Cushing, the longest-tenured member of the team, spoke to The Torch about her expectations going into the Big East Championship.

“I’m expecting our team to compete with the same intensity and confidence as we did at the Metropolitan Invitational,” Cushing said. “We carried ourselves well, and bringing that same energy into this race will be very important.”

Cushing was able to PR by 32 seconds with her new 5k time of 17:44.93 — coming in third place individually at the Metropolitan Invitational. With this huge PR, Cushing is able to look ahead and prepare for the Big East championship.

“Becoming Metropolitan Cross Country Champions as a team meant the world to me, especially since that achievement could only be completed with everyone giving 100%,” Cushing said. 

Last season, the women came in last place at the Big East Championship, but this season they came in the top five for two out of their four meets this season. “Collectively, we are stronger together — that’s the key to earning the least amount of points for cross country,” Cushing said about how the team works together. 

Cushing told The Torch she prepares for races by “doing the same warm-up as I do in practice. Practice how you play has always been a motto in my athletic career.” 

The women’s Big East Championship meet will be a 6K held in Milwaukee, WI on Oct. 28 at 12:50 p.m. Eastern time.