WAVERLY, Iowa – The Gustavus women’s cross country team took sixth out of 30 teams at the NCAA Central Region Championships on Saturday, hosted by Wartburg College. Carleton won the meet, Wartburg took second, and Loras placed third.
As she has done all season, Tierney Winter (Sr., Waterville) led the Gusties with a sixth place finish, clocking in a time of 22:39.2. As a top-seven finisher, Winter automatically qualifies for the NCAA Championships for the first time and earns All-Region honors.
“She’s been on a different level for the past month,” Head Coach Brenden Huber said. “When she’s running like we know she can, good things are going to happen. She stuck her nose up there and ran with the right girls today and competed smart. Hats off to her for believing in herself and her confidence.”
Kourtney Kulseth (Jr., New Richland) finished 28th in 23:35.2 to capture All-Region honors as well. Iliana Ramon (So., Fairmont) took 38th in 23:51.7, Mackinzee Miest (So., Saint James) placed 56th in 24:22.9, and Lily Engebretson (So., Saint Paul) rounded out the scoring with a 66th place finish in 24:37.7.
Kassie Rosenbum of Loras won the race in 22:00.0.
“The conditions were a little slower, but the ladies competed their hearts out,” Huber said. “They took one heck of a shot at qualifying as a team for nationals and I’m very proud of them. Just did not have enough today.”
Winter will now compete at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23 in Louisville, Ky.