For
the
first
time
in
school
history,
a
Baldwin
Wallace
University
cross
country
program
captured
a
regional
title
this
fall
as
the
women's
team
won
the
2018
NCAA
Division
III
Great
Lakes
Regional
Championship.
After besting 32 other teams at regionals, the Yellow Jacket women concluded their season finishing 27th at the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championship Meet, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Since no BW cross country team had qualified for NCAAs in nine years, the national meet marked a new experience for the entire Yellow Jacket roster.
"I'm really proud of our team, how they ran and how they competed this season," said coordinator of cross country and track and field and head cross country coach Joe Eby, who was also voted United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Great Lakes Region Women's Coach of the Year.
"I think this is the start of something really special for us as a program. They got some great experience here and hopefully they make this a goal of improving and returning to the national meet in the near future."
All
five
of
BW's
top
runners
return
next
season
including
junior
three-time
All-OAC
and
Academic
All-OAC
performer
Kelly
Brennan,
junior
two-time
All-OAC
and
Academic
All-OAC
performer
Bella
Pendola,
sophomore
All-OAC
performer
Madison
Kile,
sophomore
All-OAC
performer
Hastings
Marek
and
freshman
All-Great
Lakes
Region
performer
Alyssa
Laughner.
In addition to the quintet that scored points for the Yellow Jackets, sophomore Molina Otte notched a close sixth team finish and junior Academic All-OAC selection Claire Makowski ran a season-best time at nationals.
The Yellow Jackets appear poised for continued success in the OAC and the Great Lakes Region with the goal of returning to the NCAA Championship meet in 2019.
