KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Senior Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) made her final collegiate home meet a special one as she paced the group of 65 runners to win the annual Kutztown DII/DIII Challenge Saturday afternoon at the North Campus Cross Country course. KU also finished first overall out of the five teams competing.
 
Lenhart crossed the finish line in a time 22:23.8. Four other Golden Bears placed inside the top-10, including two in the top-five in Olivia Solomon (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) and Gabby Keith (Reading, Pa./Exeter), at fourth and fifth, respectively. Solomon's time was 23:49.0, and Keith's was 23:52.4. Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) ended in seventh at 23:55.4, and Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) was ninth at 24:29.2.
 
Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) was just outside the top-10 in 11th at 24:36.4. Maya McDonnell (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South), Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) and Aubrey Ressler (New Holland, Pa./Pequea Valley) were No. 20, 24, and 28, respectively, and Kadia Stover (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) finished 33rd overall at 26:40.3. Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) placed 44th at 27:37.6, and Emma Newton (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) rounded out the lineup in 47th at 28:25.1.
 
The four other teams that placed second-through-fifth were Point Park in second, Scranton in third, Lock Haven in fourth and Mansfield in fifth.
 
Kutztown will head back to Lehigh University's Stabler Arena campus on Saturday, Oct. 2, in the Paul Short Run. The exact race and time is still to be determined. KU opened its 2026 season on Friday, Sept. 2.
 
KUTZTOWN DII/DIII CHALLENGE
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026
Kutztown, Pa. | North Campus Cross Country Course | 6,000-meters
65 Runners
 
KUTZTOWN RESULTS
Team: 1st/5 (26 pts.)
 
1. Maura Lenhart (Center Valley, Pa./Southern Lehigh) – 22:23.8
4. Olivia Solomon (Sunbury, Pa./Shikellamy) – 23:49.0
5. Gabby Keith (Reading, Pa./Exeter) – 23:52.4
7. Faith Belote (Easton, Pa./Easton) – 23:55.4
9. Lizzie Brown (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) – 24:29.2
11. Sage Dunkleberger (Watsontown, Pa./Warrior Run) – 24:36.4
20. Maya McDonnell (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South) – 25:39.4
24. Nina Castellano (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J./Hasbrouck Heights) – 25:59.4
28. Aubrey Ressler (New Holland, Pa./Pequea Valley) – 26:28.3
33. Kadia Stover (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) – 26:40.3
44. Allie Pavone (Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown) – 27:37.6
47. Emma Newton (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown) – 28:25.1
Carly Keith (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) – DNS
Jensen Kraft (Nutley, N.J./Saint Mary) – DNS
Aubrey Carlson (Lebanon, N.J./North Hunterdon) – DNS
Kat Colon (Easton, Pa./Wilson Area) – DNS