(NOTE | Start times changed from original release. The men's race is now 11 am and the women start at 12 noon.)
BISMARCK, ND – Championship season is here for the University of Mary men's and women's cross country teams. The Marauders will compete in the Northern Sun championships on Saturday, November 5, in Wayne, NE.
The men's race opens championship Saturday at 11 am on the 8000 meter course at the Wayne Country Club. The women's 6000 meter race follows at 12 noon. Sixteen teams compete for the women's title and 14 for the men's crown.
The UMary men's team posted their best-ever conference finish at the 2021 NSIC championships with a 2
nd place finish. Two-time All-NSIC runner
Dawson Strom is back for UMary, along with
Guillermo Fregoso and
Robert White. Strom placed 13
th last year, Fregoso was 21
st and White placed 24
th.
The Marauders are finding their stride in the second half of the schedule with two straight strong performances. Strom led the Marauders efforts in the first three meets before missing the final race.
Caleb Yokom picked up the slack and led the charge for UMary in the Mystics-Marauders Invite. White and Fregoso have been top three finishers for the Marauders in all four races.
On the women's side, the Marauders also have had a strong close to the season and look to be in contention for the Northern Sun crown. The Marauders saw their streak of four straight conference championships snapped last season when UMary finished second.
Alyssa Becker led the Marauders efforts at the 2021 NSIC championships, placing 7
th to earn all-conference honors. She later earned All-American honors as UMary finished 10
th in the nation at the NCAA Championships.
Becker has had another strong season, leading UMary in every race as a sophomore.
While Becker is the only UMary runner who scored for the Marauders at last season's conference championship, other Marauders also have big meet experience. Both
Ellen Moore and
Kristine Kalthoff ran for UMary at the NCAA championships with Moore scoring for UMary.
Andrijana Fundak ran for UMary at the NCAA regionals and has had an outstanding season as she has consistently been the Marauders #2 runner.
Kiran Green also provides valuable experience as an All-NSIC performer in 2019.
Following the NSIC championships, the NCAA Cross Country Regional will take place in Joplin, Missouri, on Saturday, November 19. The NCAA DII National Cross Country Championships will be held on Saturday, December 3, at Chamber's Bay in University Place, Washington.
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