Fresh off its first-ever National Collegiate Athletic Association Southeast Region title, No. 14 William and Mary finished 17th at the NCAA Championships, held in Terre Haute, Ind. Saturday.
Junior Emily Stites paced the College, crossing in 20 minutes and 39 seconds. Stites moved up 66 spots over the later third of the race to finish 37th overall, good for her fifth All-American Award and second in cross country. The award ensures Stites’ place in program history as both the first to earn All-American honors in non-consecutive seasons and the fourth to earn at least five All-American awards.
Apart from Stites, freshman Regan Rome cracked the top-100 as she finished in 21:09, good for 90th overall. Junior Meghan McGovern (139th, 21:29), senior Dylan Hassett (166th, 21:39) and freshman Molly Breidenbaugh (171st, 2:42) rounded out the scoring portion of the team event. Junior Leanna Eisenman (22:59) crossed 245th, while redshirt junior Carolyn Hennessey wrapped up a career season with a 23:58 race, good for 253rd overall.
No. 1 Michigan State won the event, while No. 5 Iowa and No. 9 New Mexico finished second and third, respectively.
The College now turns to the indoor track season. The Christopher Newport University Holiday Open marks the start of the winter season, taking place Dec. 6 in Newport News, Va.
No. 14 WILLIAM AND MARY fin. No. 17
Stites No. 36 (20:39) Rome No. 90 (21:09) McGovern No. 139 (21:29) Hassett No. 166 (21:39) Breidenbaugh No. 171 (21:42) Eisenman No. 245 (22:59) Hennessey No. 253 (23:58)
