KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) won her second straight race to start the 2025 season and the Kutztown University women's cross country team topped seven other schools to capture its second team title in as many races at Saturday's DII/DIII Challenge on Kutztown's North Campus Farm Loop.
 
Coming off her first career race win at last week's WCU Season Opener, Lenhart was again the class of the field in a meet that featured four PSAC teams. The junior from Center Valley, Pa., crossed the finish line with a 6k time of 22:34.9, more than five seconds clear of runner-up Olivia Magagna from Bloomsburg.
 
Kutztown was the lone team to place three runners in the top 10, leading to the team victory. Graduate student Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional) ran a 23:30.0 to finish eighth, directly ahead of teammate Olivia Solomon (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) in ninth (23:40.0).
 
Junior Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan), in her first year with the Maroon and Gold after transferring from Siena, placed 15th in 24:15.1, while Jensen Kraft (Nutley, N.J./Saint Mary) (24:25.5) and Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) (24:29.3) made it into the back half of the top 20, finishing 18th and 20th, respectively.
 
Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) was the team's highest finishing freshman in 23rd (24:35.8).
 
The Golden Bears entered 12 athletes in their home meet that featured 84 runners overall. Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) was 34th (25:25.6), Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) took 41st (25:31.6), Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) placed 45th (25:46.6), Maya McDonnell (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) was 64th (27:29.2) and Kadia Stover (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) was 67th (27:59.0).
 
Kutztown totaled 51 points to top PSAC rivals East Stroudsburg (65) and Bloomsburg (71).
 
KU will take a break from competition for the next few weeks as training begins for the Paul Short Run on Lehigh University's Goodman Campus, Oct. 3.
 

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DII/DIII CHALLENGE
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025
Kutztown, Pa. | North Campus Farm Loop | 6,000 Meters
84 Runners
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
Team: 1st/8 (51 pts.)
 
1. Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh), 22:34.9
8. Sophia Knerr (Columbia, N.J./North Warren Regional), 23:30.0
9. Olivia Solomon (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy), 23:40.0
15. Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan), 24:15.1
18. Jensen Kraft (Nutley, N.J./Saint Mary), 24:25.5
20. Deandra Young (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg), 24:29.3
23. Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton), 24:35.8
34. Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run), 25:25.6
41. Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown), 25:31.6
45. Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights), 25:46.6
64. Maya McDonnell (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South), 27:29.2
67. Kadia Stover (Hershey, Pa./Hershey), 27:59.0