Nov. 10, 2015
By Ashley Albertson
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – As she crossed the finish line at the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida, University of Notre Dame senior standout Molly Seidel had already set social media abuzz with news of her achievement. From start to finish, Seidel’s path to claiming the women’s 6k-championship title was tracked by outlets and individuals, offering both praise and admiration.
The title marked the fourth ACC championship of Seidel’s tenure at Notre Dame, a figure which encompasses championships in cross country as well as both indoor and outdoor track and field. The Hartland, Wisconsin, native became the first Notre Dame woman to capture an individual track and field national championship last season, winning the 10,000-meter event at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
“This one was really special,” Seidel said of her most recent title. “It was my fourth cross country conference championship meet, and it was a cool and bittersweet way to finish it up. It was especially great to be able to come to the ACC championships and represent Notre Dame well. To have four girls finish in the top-21 and earn All-ACC honors was icing on the cake. It was a very cool day for us, both individually and as team.”
Along with Seidel’s individual achievement, the Notre Dame women’s cross country crew gained attention for its one-two showing in the conference showdown, courtesy of a second-place finish from freshman Anna Rohrer, and third-place standing in the team competition.
Revisit Seidel’s most recent title-winning performance with this social media rundown:
A view from the start:
The women’s #ACCXC Championship is underway! pic.twitter.com/9KvgV8ATEC
– ACC Track & Field (@ACCTrackField) October 30, 2015
Seidel led throughout the race, opening up distance at the 3-mile mark:
Molly Seidel of Notre Dame running away with the lead crossing the 3 mile mark at 15:45! #ACCXC pic.twitter.com/ZnOTizo7K8
– FloTrack (@FloTrack) October 30, 2015
Crossing the finish line:
.@NDXCTF‘s Molly Seidel takes the women’s #ACCXC title with a time of 19:36.2! pic.twitter.com/dXqRN1WyfG
– ACC Track & Field (@ACCTrackField) October 30, 2015
Another snapshot of the finish courtesy of our friends at FSU:
Molly Seidel wins #ACCXC title for Irish pic.twitter.com/ye0isbdCAf
– FSU Cross Country (@FSU_XCountry) October 30, 2015
A congrats from the man in charge, Coach Turner:
Your 2015 ACC Cross Country Champion, Molly Seidel!! pic.twitter.com/LjRka14Aue
– Alan Turner (@HCAlanTurner) October 30, 2015
Seidel and Rohrer prepped for post-race interviews:
INTERVIEW: Molly Seidel & Anna Rohrer after 1st and 2nd place finish #ACCXC –> https://t.co/kezsV6zzjA pic.twitter.com/Zt3axOt8Qt
– FloTrack (@FloTrack) October 30, 2015
Four Notre Dame women received All-ACC recognition ââ’¬¦ and earned a spot in this photo:
Your 2015 women’s #ACCXC All-ACC team! pic.twitter.com/8sIP8J5KZq
– ACC Track & Field (@ACCTrackField) October 30, 2015
Full coverage was provided by UND.com:
🏅CHAMPION & RUNNER-UP🎖 Molly Seidel & Anna Rohrer take 1st & 2nd at ACC Championships READ:https://t.co/vWe2kBKqM5 pic.twitter.com/FJTIAGYag9
– The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) October 30, 2015
Seidel is now back on campus preparing for the 2015 NCAA Great Lakes Regional, which is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13 in Madison, Wisconsin:
Spotted on campus this morning #ACCXC Champ @ByGollyMolly12. 🍀â˜â’¬️ @FightingIrish pic.twitter.com/I2agp1I2HV
– Notre Dame XC/TF (@NDXCTF) November 9, 2015
-ND-
Ashley Albertson, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, joined the Fighting Irish athletics communications team in August of 2015 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame men’s basketball, men’s lacrosse and cross country/track and field programs. Albertson is a 2013 graduate of The Ohio State University, where she also earned her master’s degree in 2014.