ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's cross country team kicked off postseason action at the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championships on Saturday morning at Fortin Park. Following a fifth-place finish last season with a returning core, the Cardinals entered the race looking to improve upon that result and did just that, moving up one spot to finish fourth this year.

Senior Grace Estus (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) and junior Isabelle Cunningham (Bethlehem, N.Y./Bethlehem) led the Cardinals to a fourth-place team finish and the highest placement under Director of Cross Country and Track and Field Nathan Petesch, as both earned their first All-SUNYAC honors. Estus was Plattsburgh's top runner, placing eighth in 23:05.4 to earn All-SUNYAC Second Team honors. In addition, Estus was awarded the prestigious SUNYAC Elite 20 Award, an award modeled after the NCAA Elite 90 program, which recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in their sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among their peers. She is an English major and currently holds a 4.0 GPA.

Cunningham followed not far behind, crossing the line in 15th with a time of 23:46.1, just one second off her personal best, to earn All-SUNYAC Third Team recognition.

Plattsburgh's next runner across the line was junior Ellie LeRoy (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy), who finished 27th in 24:35.3. Junior Ella Stuttard (Oriskany Falls, N.Y./Waterville) and first-year Nora Mesec (Morrisonville, N.Y./Saranac) rounded out the scoring group, placing 34th in 24:55.9 and 45th in 25:49.6, respectively.

Senior Lillian Moran (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central), along with first-years Avery Crain (Hagaman, N.Y./Amsterdam) and Gracen Pandolph (Peru, N.Y./Peru), were the next Cardinals to finish. Moran placed 50th in 26:12.9, while Crain followed in 52nd with a time of 26:26.6 and Pandolph finished 54th in 26:59.3.

Cortland claimed the SUNYAC team championship with a score of 35 and also had the individual champion, Melissa Innocent, who crossed the line first in 22:10.9.

Postseason action continues for Plattsburgh State as the Cardinals return to competition 13 days later for the NCAA Division III Mideast Region Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Wickham Park in Hartford, Conn., hosted by Trinity College.