BISMARCK, ND – A trio of all-conference performers led #20 University of Mary to a third place finish at the 2023 Northern Sun Women's Cross Country Championships. The event was hosted by the University of Mary at McDowell Dam.
Racing in a familiar space,
Alyssa Becker earned All-Northern Sun first team honors for a 3
rd straight season. She placed 5
th overall in a time of 21:03.0.
Right behind in 10
th place and earning the final spot on the All-NSIC 1
st team,
Andrijana Fundak finished the 6K course in 21:16.2.
Just 2.4 seconds back of Fundak,
Kristine Kalthoff finished the course in 21:18.6 to provide the Marauders three of the top eight placers in the 15-team 144-runner championship race.
This is the second time Fundak has earned NSIC honors, claiming a spot on the second team in 2022 when the Marauders placed 5
th overall. For Kalthoff this is her first time earning league cross country honors.
As they have all season,
Terez Wycklendt and
Teresa Blote rounded out the team scoring for the Marauders. Wycklendt ran the course in 21:46.5 to place 21
st overall. She missed All-NSIC honors by 1.5 seconds. Blote claimed 42
nd in 22:37.7.
"The women knew what we needed to do and showed up and followed through on the plan," said Marauders Head Coach
Chris Lessard. Having three All-Conference finishes was huge and will help us as we move forward to the NCAA Region meet with hopes of making the NCAA National meet in November. We are pushing through to the very end and are ready to go to the next level."
Winona State's Lindsay Cunningham led the Warriors to the team title as she placed first by over 49 seconds over the runner-up, teammate Kaylee Beyer. Winona State finished with 38 team points, followed by Augustana (57), UMary (84) and Minnesota State (113), with Sioux Falls rounding out the top five.
The Marauders next race at the 2023 NCAA Central Region Championships in Joplin, MO, on November 4, for the chance to advance to the NCAA national championships on November 18, also in Joplin.
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