Maryland Women’s Cross Country Finishes Sixth at Panorama Farms Invitational
By Brian Hradsky
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The University of Maryland women’s cross country team delivered a strong performance Friday, October 16, finishing sixth at the Panorama Farms Invitational hosted by the University of Virginia. The Terrapins placed four runners among the top 50 individually in their final regular-season competition before the Big Ten Championships. Maryland finished with 156 team points in a competitive field featuring 17 programs and 173 registered runners. The result provided another encouraging showing as the Terps prepare for postseason competition.
Freshman Kate Konyar led Maryland for the second consecutive meet, finishing 35th overall in the women’s six-kilometer race. Konyar completed the challenging course in 22 minutes, 15.5 seconds, establishing herself as a consistent contributor to the Terrapins’ distance-running lineup. Her performance helped Maryland remain competitive against several established programs, including nationally ranked Virginia. Konyar’s emergence gives the Terrapins an important young runner heading into the conference championships.
Maryland Displays Impressive Team Depth
One of Maryland’s biggest strengths Friday was the consistency of its middle scoring group, with three runners finishing within approximately eight seconds of one another. Maren Iski finished 44th in 22:28.6, while Ellie Keefer followed closely in 45th with a time of 22:29.8. Cayden Justice completed the tightly grouped trio, placing 48th in 22:36.7. Their performances helped Maryland secure a top-six finish and demonstrated the importance of having multiple runners capable of competing together.
Jayla Atkinson rounded out Maryland’s five scoring runners with a 53rd-place finish, completing the course in 22:44.5. Atkinson’s performance gave the Terrapins five finishers within 29 seconds of their leading runner, an encouraging indication of the team’s depth. Annika Metzger followed in 56th place with a time of 22:49.9, while Melina Johnston finished 61st in 23:05.4. Maryland’s ability to keep its leading runners relatively close together proved valuable in the final team standings.
Virginia Tech Claims Invitational Championship
Virginia Tech dominated the women’s competition, capturing the team championship with just 20 points. Host Virginia finished second with 36 points, followed by Charlotte with 118 and Delaware with 133. Wingate narrowly finished ahead of Maryland, collecting 151 points compared with the Terrapins’ 156. Maryland placed ahead of several regional opponents, including UMBC, UNC Asheville, American, Marquette and Howard.
Virginia’s Gillian Bushee captured the individual championship with a time of 20:19.6, finishing ahead of Virginia Tech’s Brenda Jeptoo, who completed the race in 20:27.0. The Hokies demonstrated their depth by placing five runners among the top six individual finishers. Virginia also produced an impressive showing, placing seven runners among the top 15. Those performances highlighted the quality of competition Maryland faced in its final regular-season meet.
Complete Maryland Individual Results
| Runner | Finish | 6K Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kate Konyar | 35th | 22:15.5 |
| Maren Iski | 44th | 22:28.6 |
| Ellie Keefer | 45th | 22:29.8 |
| Cayden Justice | 48th | 22:36.7 |
| Jayla Atkinson | 53rd | 22:44.5 |
| Annika Metzger | 56th | 22:49.9 |
| Melina Johnston | 61st | 23:05.4 |
| Lucy Scothern | 85th | 23:35.8 |
| Rebecca Burgee | 90th | 23:41.3 |
| Kiki Van Der Weide | 93rd | 23:45.2 |
| Kaleigh McHale | 104th | 24:08.0 |
| Gauri Nair | 132nd | 24:49.3 |
Terrapins Turn Their Attention to Big Ten Championships
Maryland now shifts its focus toward the Big Ten Championships, scheduled for October 30 in Madison, Wisconsin. The conference meet represents an important opportunity for the Terrapins to measure their progress against some of the nation’s strongest collegiate distance-running programs. Maryland will look to build upon the consistency demonstrated at Panorama Farms while continuing to develop its younger runners. The team will have approximately two weeks to prepare for the increased competition.
Following the Big Ten Championships, Maryland is scheduled to compete at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship on November 13 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The NCAA National Championship will follow November 21 in Terre Haute, Indiana, with qualification determining which teams and individuals advance. Maryland’s postseason opportunities will depend on its performances against regional and conference opponents. The Terrapins enter that stretch with encouraging momentum after placing sixth in Charlottesville.
MSB Take
Maryland’s sixth-place finish at Panorama Farms was an encouraging result, particularly because the Terrapins demonstrated considerable depth throughout their lineup. Kate Konyar continues to establish herself as a promising freshman, while the close finishes from Iski, Keefer and Justice suggest Maryland has a dependable group of runners behind its leader. Finishing just five points behind Wingate also illustrates how a relatively small improvement in individual placements could translate into a higher team finish. The Terrapins have reasons for optimism heading into the Big Ten Championships, although the conference competition will present a considerably tougher challenge.
The biggest positive from this meet was Maryland’s ability to keep its five scoring runners within 29 seconds of one another. That consistency is particularly important in championship racing, where every finishing position can affect the final team standings. If Konyar continues improving and Maryland’s supporting runners maintain their close grouping, the Terrapins could produce a competitive showing in Madison. Their performance at Panorama Farms provides a solid foundation for the final stretch of the 2026 season.
Maryland Sports Blog | www.marylandsportsblog.com
