2023 Yale Women's Cross Country Roster

Olivia Birney

  • Class Sophomore
  • Highschool Simsbury
  • Hometown Simsbury, Conn.

Biography

Collegiate Bests: 
800m: 2:19.84
1000m: 2:55.75
5000m (XC): 19:25.7

2022-2023: For cross country, placed 29th in 5k at Harvard-Yale-Princeton tri-meet…For indoor track, earned fifth in 4x400m and fourth in 800m with a collegiate best of 2:19.84 at Dartmouth-Yale-Columbia tri-meet…Competed in 1000m at Harvard-Yale-Princeton tri-meet…Set a collegiate best of 2:55.75 in 1000m at BU David Hemery Valentine Invitational…Won 1000m at Giegengack Invitational…Competed in 1000m at Indoor Ivy League Track and Field Championships…Did not compete in outdoor track.  

Before Yale: Indoor and outdoor track captain during Senior year…Holds school records in the 800m, 1000m, mile, and 4x400m (indoor)...All-State and All-Conference every indoor and outdoor track season in which she has competed (2019-2022)...Four-time Nationals qualifier in the championship division (New Balance and Nike in 2022 for indoor and outdoor, Nike in 2021 for outdoor, and New Balance in 2019 for outdoor)...2nd in the 800m at the 2022 Outdoor New England Championships…3rd in 1000m at the 2022 New England Indoor Championships…Winner of 2022 CT Distance Festival Mile…Runner-up in the 800m, 4x800m relay (anchor) in the 2022 Outdoor Class L Championship Meet…Anchored 4x800m relay that won the Glenn D. Loucks Games in 2022…All Academic Honors for indoor and outdoor track in 2022…Simsbury High School Scholar Athlete…Undefeated in the regular season in both the 800m and 1600m in 2021…Double State Champion in 1600m and 800m for 2021…Triple Class Champion in the 1600m, 800m, and 4x400m relay for 2021…11th at 2021 Nike Outdoor Nationals in 800m…800m record holder of the 2021 Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) Meet…2021 All-State Gold Star…Double Class Indoor Champion in 1000m race and SMR (800m leg) for 2020…7th in 1000m at the 2020 Indoor New England Championship…2020 SCC Coaches Invitational Female Track Athlete MVP…4x800m team won the 2019 CCC Championship and Class L Championship, placed 2nd at the 2019 State Open Championship (anchor), and placed 3rd at the 2019 New England Championship (anchor)... Played soccer for 12 years, including 4 at the primer level, and two in high school…Varsity soccer 2019.

Notes: Mother, Shannon Siragusa, attended Yale Law School and ran for Boston College.

Why Yale? “I love Yale’s emphasis on pursuing multiple passions, as well as its tradition of camaraderie in so many diverse communities.”

Historical Player Information

  • 2022First Year

  • 2023Sophomore