The Penn State Behrend Women's Cross Country team recently announced its team award winners for the 2009 season.  The Behrend women's cross country team award winners are chosen by a vote of team members.

Junior runner Emily Berry (Reno/Rocky Grove) was named the program's MVP for her performances during the 2009 fall season.  At the conference championships Berry had an eleventh place finish with a time of 27:19.  Berry also tallied a sixth place finish at the Behrend Invitational on her way to another selection to the All-Conference team for the third straight season.

Rookie of the Year honors went to Kaitlynn Patterson (Erie/Villa Maria).  Patterson had a good performance at the 2009 AMCC championships by recording a time of 28:48, which was good enough for nineteenth place.  Patterson has tremendous capabilities and the team will count on her to perform even better next season.

Junior Tanisha Wheatley (Saltsburg/Kiski) was tabbed the Most Improved Runner for the 2009 season.  Wheatley strived to get better every day and it show in her performance in several events.  Wheatley ran a time of 28:19 which placed her eighteenth at the AMCC championships.  Wheatley continues to grow into a complete runner and she will look to have an even bigger season in 2010.

The Leadership/Scholarship award winner went to sophomore Jenna Fatica (Erie/Villa Maria).  Fatica had a tremendous 2009 season which saw her end up on the AMCC All-Conference team for the second consecutive year.  She placed fourteenth at the conference championships with a time of 27:41.  Fatica was also named as the team's representative to the All-Conference Sportsmanship Team.