Rebekka Hillier Leads Towson Cross Country to Fifth-Place Finish at Aubrey Shenk Invitational
By Brian Hradsky
October 22, 2026
The Towson University women’s cross country team completed its 2026 regular season with an impressive fifth-place finish at the Aubrey Shenk Invitational on Saturday, October 17, at the Gettysburg Cross Country Course in Pennsylvania. The Tigers accumulated 213 points against a competitive 46-team field, with junior Rebekka Hillier leading the way in 14th place overall. Hillier completed the six-kilometer course in a personal-best 21 minutes, 51.10 seconds, providing Towson with its strongest individual performance of the afternoon. The result gives head coach Consandria Walker-Hall’s squad momentum heading into the Coastal Athletic Association Championships on October 30.
Hillier Leads Tigers With Personal-Best Performance
Hillier continued her role as one of Towson’s most dependable distance runners by delivering another strong performance against a large collegiate field. The junior from Sparks, Maryland, completed the 6K course in 21:51.10, earning 14th place overall and establishing a new personal best on the Gettysburg course. Her performance was particularly encouraging because she had led the Tigers in every regular-season meet during the previous campaign. Saturday’s result demonstrated her ability to remain competitive near the front of a large field.
Hillier entered the meet following a strong performance at the Main Line Invitational on September 18, where she finished 26th overall with a time of 18:31.00 over a shorter course. The Aubrey Shenk Invitational presented a different challenge because of its six-kilometer distance and substantially larger field. Hillier responded by delivering Towson’s leading finish and helping the Tigers secure a top-five team result. Her consistency will be especially important when Towson faces conference competition later this month.
The junior also has valuable experience competing at championship events, having represented the Tigers throughout previous cross country seasons. Her ability to establish a strong early position and maintain her pace provides Towson with a dependable scoring contributor. With the CAA Championships approaching, Hillier’s performance suggests she is entering the postseason in encouraging form. The Tigers will look for another strong effort from their leading runner when they travel to New York.
Amato and Stewart Provide Important Support
Sophomore Anna Amato finished as Towson’s second runner, crossing the finish line in 22:30.70 to secure 37th place overall. Amato has emerged as an important contributor during the fall season and previously led the Tigers at the Main Line Invitational. Her performance in Gettysburg helped provide Towson with a second runner among the top 40 finishers. Maintaining that consistency will be important as the Tigers prepare to face the CAA’s strongest programs.
Senior Baara Stewart followed with a 51st-place finish, recording a time of 22:49.60. Stewart has been a consistent member of Towson’s leading group throughout the regular season, contributing valuable experience and dependable scoring performances. Her finish placed a third Towson runner near the front of the large field and helped strengthen the team’s overall position. The senior will look to carry that momentum into one of the final conference championship appearances of her collegiate career.
Hillier, Amato and Stewart have been Towson’s leading three runners throughout the regular season, providing an established foundation for the team’s scoring. Their performances at Gettysburg continued that pattern and demonstrated the importance of having reliable contributors at the front of the lineup. The trio finished within 58.50 seconds of one another, allowing Towson to maintain a competitive scoring position. Their collective performance will remain central to the Tigers’ postseason expectations.
Duhon and Pizzulli Complete Towson’s Scoring Five
Sophomore Whitney Duhon finished fourth among Towson runners and 80th overall with a time of 23:17.20. Duhon provided an important contribution by remaining within striking distance of the team’s leading group and helping the Tigers maintain a competitive scoring total. Her performance added another dependable result from Towson’s sophomore class. Continued improvement from Duhon could help strengthen the team’s depth at the conference championship.
Fellow sophomore Skylar Pizzulli completed Towson’s scoring five, finishing 94th overall in 23:26.30. Her result helped the Tigers secure their fifth-place team finish against the 46-team field. Pizzulli finished just 9.10 seconds behind Duhon, giving Towson a closely matched fourth and fifth scoring combination. Their proximity provided an encouraging indication of the team’s depth heading into postseason competition.
Towson’s five scoring runners finished within 2 minutes and 13 seconds of one another, averaging approximately 22:47 across the six-kilometer course. That scoring spread demonstrated the team’s ability to maintain a relatively connected group despite competing against a large field. Although Hillier established a substantial advantage as Towson’s leading runner, the remaining scorers provided the support necessary to secure a top-five finish. Improving that group consistency will be an important objective before the CAA Championships.
Tigers Respond Following Extended Competition Break
The Aubrey Shenk Invitational marked Towson’s return to competition following an unexpected interruption to its regular-season schedule. The Tigers had been scheduled to compete at the Paul Short Run on October 2, but the event was canceled because of inclement weather. As a result, Towson had not raced since the Main Line Invitational on September 18. The extended break created an unusual preparation period before the team’s final regular-season competition.
At the Main Line Invitational, Towson finished seventh among 13 teams, with Amato leading the squad in 14th place. Hillier followed in 26th, while Stewart finished 39th to complete the Tigers’ leading trio. The team’s top five runners averaged 19:11 over the shorter course, providing a useful indication of their early-season form. Saturday’s result at Gettysburg demonstrated that Towson remained competitive after several weeks without a race.
The additional training time may have allowed the Tigers to focus on conditioning and preparation, although the team also lost an opportunity to evaluate its progress in competition. Returning against 45 other teams provided a demanding test before the conference championship. Towson responded with a fifth-place finish and another strong performance from its established leaders. The result should give the coaching staff useful information as it finalizes its postseason preparations.
Towson Turns Attention to CAA Championships
The Tigers will now prepare for the Coastal Athletic Association Championships on Friday, October 30, in Hempstead, New York. Hofstra University will host the conference meet, bringing together Towson and the league’s other cross country programs for an important postseason competition. The championship will provide an opportunity for the Tigers to measure their progress against familiar conference opponents. Towson will have nearly two weeks between its final regular-season race and the championship.
Walker-Hall will look for continued production from Hillier, Amato and Stewart while emphasizing improvement throughout the scoring lineup. The Tigers demonstrated their ability to compete against a large field at Gettysburg, but the conference championship will require another complete team performance. Maintaining strong positioning during the opening portion of the race and finishing effectively could help Towson improve its standing. The coaching staff will also evaluate how the team’s younger runners respond to the demands of postseason competition.
Towson enters the championship with several encouraging developments, including Hillier’s personal-best performance and the consistency of its leading runners. The Tigers have demonstrated that they can compete effectively despite interruptions to their regular-season schedule. However, postseason competition will present another challenge as conference opponents attempt to deliver their strongest performances of the year. The Aubrey Shenk Invitational provided a positive final preparation opportunity before that test.
MSB Take
Towson’s fifth-place finish at the Aubrey Shenk Invitational was an encouraging way to conclude the regular season, particularly considering the large 46-team field and the extended break between competitions. Hillier deserves considerable recognition for recording a personal-best time and finishing 14th overall. Her ability to lead the Tigers against a competitive field provides an important foundation heading into the CAA Championships. Amato and Stewart also delivered valuable performances, reinforcing the consistency of Towson’s leading three runners.
The most encouraging aspect of the team’s performance was its ability to place five scoring runners within 2 minutes and 13 seconds of one another. Duhon and Pizzulli provided important depth, while the leading trio established the scoring foundation necessary for a top-five team finish. Towson will need to continue developing that balance because conference championship results often depend on the performances of fourth and fifth runners. A stronger connection between the leading group and the remaining scorers could help the Tigers improve their postseason standing.
The upcoming CAA Championships will provide a more complete assessment of Towson’s progress throughout the fall. Hillier appears to be entering the postseason in strong form, while Amato and Stewart have demonstrated their ability to contribute consistently. The Tigers should approach the championship with confidence after producing a competitive result in Gettysburg. If Towson can maintain its front-running consistency while improving its scoring depth, the team has an opportunity to finish its season on a positive note.
