Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh University
Lehigh Invitational
Women's Cross Country Opens Season with Lehigh Invitational
9/4/2026 9:49:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh women's cross country team kicked off its 2026 campaign at the Goodman Campus Cross Country Course, as the Mountain Hawks hosted the Lehigh Invitational on Friday evening. Lehigh took fourth out of ten teams in a field that included Rutgers, Saint Joseph's, the Garden State Track Club, Kutztown, Rowan, Moravian, Muhlenberg, DeSales, and Ramapo.Â
Grace Hughes continues to be a staple at the top of the Lehigh lineup, as she was the first Mountain Hawk (16th overall, 22:40.1) to cross the finish line. First year Keira Arenholz made a strong impression in her Lehigh debut, finishing second among the Mountain Hawks and 19th overall with a time of 22:52.5. Head coach Debbie Utesch had high praise for Arenholz following the race.Â
"[Arenholz] had a really nice performance as a first year competing in the 6,000-meter distance," Utesch said. "She worked really well with Elizabeth Ehrhardt right up until the last kilometer of the race, and we're proud of the overall effort she gave us."Â
Sophomore Grace Trimmer was the third Mountain Hawk to finish, posting a time of 23:03.4, good for 25th overall. Sophomore Mallory Sherrer (31st, 23:33.1) and junior Elizabeth Ehrhardt (34th, 23:44.3) shortly followed, rounding out the top five for Lehigh.Â
While the results weren't what Lehigh had hoped for, Utesch is focused on how the team responds moving forward.Â
"We're a little short on depth right now and as a result we had some people missing from our lineup," Utesch said. "Going forward it's going to take everybody to step up and be ready to perform when that starting gun sounds."Â
The Mountain Hawks will return to action in Easton, Pennsylvania for the Lafayette Invitational on Friday, September 11 beginning at 5:45 p.m.Â
