Men's Results  |  Women's Results

The Malone University cross country teams collected Top 7 finishes at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship Meet that was hosted by Cedarville University on Saturday.

The Pioneer women, ranked 25th in the most recent NCAA Division II National Poll, took sixth among 28 teams while the Malone men, listed among "those receiving votes" in the latest national poll, placed seventh out of 28 teams.

Senior Jade Smith finished third overall among nearly 200 competitors in the 6K women's race and has qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championship Meet by virtue of her Top 5 individual finish.

The top three men's teams and top three women's team from each of the eight regional championship meets across the country receive automatic bids to the National Meet. 

NCAA Division II No. 2 Grand Valley State University won the women's race with 46 points.  No. 8 Hillsdale College, the Great Midwest Champion, was second on Saturday with 81 points and 10th-ranked Walsh University claimed the third automatic bid after taking third with 105 points.  No. 17 Northern Michigan University was fourth with 126 points.  The University of Southern Indiana, the No. 23 ranked team in the country, was fifth with 137 points and Malone followed in sixth with 155.

Smith blazed through the 6K course in 21:31.3 to secure the third-place finish and a spot on the All-Midwest Region Team.  Junior Hannah Thompson claimed a 17th-place finish, joining Smith on the All-Region Team with a time of 22:00.7. 

Senior Hannah Campbell placed 32nd with a time of 22:36.4.  Senior Laura Tweedie was 44th in 22:53.6.  Senior Rachel Koons placed 59th at 23:20.4.  Sophomore Rachel Wentworth took 69th in 23:27.3 and freshman Jasmine Penrod was 109th with a time of 24:13.2.

In the 10K men's race, No. 2 Grand Valley State took first with 58 points.  No. 8 Southern Indiana was second with 72 points while 11th-ranked Lewis University secured the third automatic bid from the Midwest Region, placing third with 107 points.  No. 19 Walsh University was fourth with 117 points.  Bellarmine University was fifth with 123 points, Saginaw Valley State University took sixth with 140 and Malone was seventh with 205.

Senior Nate Boyer and junior George McCartney both collected All-Midwest Region accolades.  Boyer crossed the finish line 21st among 198 competitors in 32:02.1.  McCartney was right behind, placing 22nd in 32:04.2.

Senior Lorne Strausbaugh was next for the Pioneers, placing 49th in 33:02.  Freshman Zach Fresenko took 52nd in 33:04.1, sophomore Noah Whittington was 67th in 33:22.8, junior Brett Cortelletti took 82nd in 33:36.7 and freshman Noah Chaplik was 93rd in 33:52.3.

Smith will represent the Pioneers at the National Championship Meet, which will be held on November 18 at the Angel Mounds in Evansville, Indiana.