Galloway, N.J. – Six Stockton University cross country runners, four from the women's team and two from the men's team, qualified for
USTFCCCA All-Region honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Jaelyn Barkley (Hope/Belvidere),
Kayla Kass (Bayonne/County Prep),
Guinevere Kennedy (South Amboy/South Amboy) and
Jessie Klenk (Somerdale/Sterling) claimed All-Region recognition in women's cross country.
Cooper Knorr (Manalapan/Manalapan) and
Erik Ackerman (Long Valley/West Morris Central) collected men's All-Region accolades. Klenk snagged an All-Region spot for the second straight year while the other five Ospreys were All-Region for the first time.
All-Region status went to the top 35 finishers at the NCAA Metro Regionals, which were held at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa. on Saturday. Led by the six All-Region runners, both Stockton teams produced their best finish ever at NCAA Regionals, with the women placing third and the men finishing eighth.
Barkley and Knorr were the Stockton's top finishers for the women's and men's teams respectively, and both qualified for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, which will be held in Lansing, Mich. on Saturday. Barkley is Stockton's first female NCAA qualifier since Alicia Belko in 2017 and Knorr is the first male NCAA qualifier since Abad Akhtar in 2010.
Barkley place seventh out of 170 runners with a time of 23:27 for six kilometers. Her seventh-place finish is the second-best in Stockton history by a female at an NCAA regional meet. The sophomore also was NJAC First Team and NJAC Runner of the Week once this season.
Knorr tied Akhtar for the best finish ever by a Stockton male at NCAA regionals as he placed 10th out of 176 runners with an 8K time of 21:18. Like Barkley, the senior earned an NJAC First Team nod and one NJAC Runner of the Week award this season.
Kass added an All-Region prize to a list of honors that includes NJAC Rookie of the Year, NJAC First Team and three-time NJAC Rookie of the Week for her outstanding freshman season. Kass finished 16th on Saturday with a time of 24:05.
Klenk repeated as an All-Region performer by placing 29th at NCAA Regionals with a time of 24:25. The senior also was an NJAC Second Team runner this season. Kennedy made it two Stockton freshmen on the All-Region list by crossing the finish line 35th at 24:35. She also earned an NJAC Second Team nod this year.
Ackerman placed 29th in the men's race with a time of 26:44. In addition to his All-Region recognition, Ackerman also was an NJAC Second Team performer this fall.
