JOPLIN, Mo. - On a spectacular day for the 10
th ranked University of Mary women's cross country team,
Alexis Zeis captured the NCAA Central region women's cross country individual title and the Marauders qualified for the national championships.
After sending just a single runner each of the last two years - national champion
Jennifer Agnew in 2013 and Zeis last season - the Marauders earned a team slot for the fifth time in seven years.
The Marauders placed fourth overall in the region out of 31 teams after recording a total of 123 points. Southwest Baptist claimed first with 79 points, followed by the University of Minnesota Duluth (99) and Augustana (115). Harding was fifth with 132 points and earned the final spot to nationals.
As she has all season, Zeis dominated the race. Leading by less than five seconds at the halfway mark, the sophomore from Bismarck, N.D., crossed the finish line 18 seconds in front of Ewa Zaborowska of Harding, checking in with a time of 20:08.3. Zeis, who placed fourth at the regional last year before finishing 21
st in the country and earning All-American honors, has won all four of her races this season.
Four Marauders earned NCAA All-Region honors, including Zeis. Sophomore
Kaycie Stewart (Corvallis, Mont.) was the second Marauders runner to cross the finish line and claimed 16
th overall in a time of 21:42.89.
Running in her first NCAA event, freshman
Jaiden Schuette (Bismarck, N.D.) was close behind Stewart, finishing 19
th overall with a clocking of 21:50.2.
Earning all-region honors for a third straight season was
Katelynn Engh (Maddock, N.D.). The junior placed 24
th after traversing the course in 21:58.1.
Kennedy Robbins (Billings, Mont.) rounded out the team scoring for U-Mary. The junior was 64
th overall in a time of 22:58.2.
Additionally, freshman
Jackie Harmon (Fargo, N.D.) was 66
th in 23:02.5 and junior
Chelsea Bennis (Apple Valley, Calif.) ran the course in 23:59.8 to finish 113
th.
The Marauders now return to Joplin, Mo., in two weeks for the NCAA championships. Hosted by Missouri Southern State University at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course inside the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex, the national championship is set for November 21.
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