WELLESLEY, Mass. – Sophomore Ella Whinney (Madison, Wis.) and first year Fiona Hanrahan (Falmouth, Maine) finished first and second overall to lead Wellesley College cross country at the season opening Wellesley Invitational on Friday evening at Nehoiden Golf Course. 

Brandeis University captured the team victory despite the one-two finish for the Blue, finishing one point (33) ahead of host Wellesley (34). Mount Holyoke took third with 56 points.

Whinney posted the winning time in 19:07.8 and Hanrahan was the runner-up in 19:08.9. The race was Hanrahan's collegiate debut. Sophomore Elise Lanahan (Greenville, S.C.) was sixth overall for Wellesley with a time of 19:44.7, while classmates Simone Beauchamp (Aurora, Colo.) and Claire Peng (Chapel Hill, N.C.) finished 12th (20:27.8) and 13th (20:32.5), respectively.

Also competing for the Blue, first year Georgia Harms (Dubuque, Iowa) was 23rd (21:17.9), sophomore Olivia Torres (Coral Gables, Fla.) was 27th (22:06.6), junior Jesenia Lopez (Fontana, Calif.) was 28th (23:15.6) and junior Sana Khan (Weston, Conn.) took 31st (23:39.6).

Next up, the Blue will compete on Saturday, September 16 at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational.