Kasson crusises through PSUAC Championship Race

By Jeff "Benji" Griffiin , Men's Basketball Captain

You may have not heard Alicia Kasson's name because she was passing you too fast on the way to class. Kasson, a freshman, is Penn State Scranton's top women's cross country runner this year finishing 1^st individually in the PSUAC championship race at Penn State Mont Alto on October 29.

Alicia, who also finished 1^st on her home course this semester also earned the course record for the campus on October 1^st in the Scranton Invitational against PSUAC competitors. Kasson, a graduate of Vestal High School in New York dominated her competitors at the PSUAC Championships covering the course in 27 minutes 57 seconds becoming the first Penn State Scranton women's runner to capture the top spot since 2-time USCAA All American and now assistant coach Maureen Suchecki in 2009 & 2010.

Alicia concentrated on finishing before a PSUAC competitor from Penn State Schuylkill. The two women had been racing neck and neck throughout the season.  "I keep an eye on my watch," said Kasson when she was speaking to about her race motivation earlier this semester, "hitting my mile times motivates me to keep up my pace."

As a freshman Alicia already made her mark on the conference earning her way to USCAA National Championships in Virginia Beach on November 11^th where she finished just seconds behind her Schuylkill rival Alexis Luna. The two traveled together to the national race and both only first-year runners will be sure to give the conference something to talk about for next season.

Alicia culminated her season earning the individual women's championship title and PSUAC 1^st team All-Conference.