On Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, at Dream Park in Logan Township, the Rowan University women’s cross country team will compete in the Border Battle meet. This will be the team’s last meet before the NJAC Championships, and it will give them a good sense of where they are as a team.

This meet will also serve as a “home” meet for the Profs because of how close and familiar the team is with the course. Runners like Shannon Stakelbeck are excited for the chance to compete in front of familiar faces. 

“We’ve been on this course a lot, we practice here,” Stakelbeck said. “I’m excited to compete on it again. I have been competing on it since high school, so it’s a course I know well.”

The Profs expect to have tons of family and friends attend the meet. The players want to perform well not only for the betterment of the team but also for their families. For Stakelbeck, who’s from Toms River, it means a lot that her family is making the trip down to watch her run.

“My mom and my grandpa are coming,” Stakelbeck said. “It really makes me feel happy because my family doesn’t like driving far so for them to come out means a lot.”

Last year’s Border Battle was successful for the Profs. Emily Zanni won the women’s 6k open race, helping Rowan accumulate a piece of their 28 points, while four other members of the Profs placed in the top 20. These included Izzy Smith, who finished in fifth, Stakelbeck, who finished in sixth, and Anna Doughtery and Ava Rizzo.  

The success that Rowan had last year in the Border Battle helped them finish in third in the NJACs. It’s safe to assume that the team that shows up this weekend will be similar to the team we see in the biggest meet of the year. Plus, finishing the regular season with a strong performance can do wonders for a team with championship aspirations, like the Profs. The team has put in all the work to be successful during this time of year, now it’s time to go out there and put it all together.

“The teams working really hard right now,” Stakelbeck said. “I hope the team does really well and everyone gets a huge PR. I want everyone to be successful and happy.”

Stakelbeck’s statement is one that just shows how close this year’s team is. They practice hard but find a way to make it fun by making jokes and having friendly competitions. This team has come together like one big family that shares the same goals. Every time a runner gets a new PR or finishes at the top of a race the team celebrates as one. 

“My achievements are their achievements and vice versa,” Stakelbeck said.

The Border Battle will begin at 11:00 a.m. this Saturday, so make sure you get there early to support our Profs.

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