Colfax, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's cross country team captured the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational Friday morning at Whitetail Golf Course.
The Eagles, ranked 16th on the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Top-30 Poll, finished with 117 team points.
UW-Eau Claire placed second with 132 points with the University of Minnesota-Duluth third with 147, Carleton College (Minn.) fourth with 172 and Hope College (Mich.) fifth with 183.
St. Olaf College (Minn.) was sixth (187) followed by the University of Minnesota seventh (221), UW-Stevens Point eighth (237), Macalester College (Minn.) ninth (314) and Suffolk University Boston (Mass.) 10th (325). A total of 36 teams competed.
UWL had five runners place in the top-34, including
Ryana Mathis finishing 17th with a time of 22:57.2 on the 6,000-meter course. The Eagles'
Molly Novotny placed 21st (23:01.8),
Milana Pisto 22nd (23:07.3),
Lauren Wegand 23rd (23:07.7) and
Nora Jillson 34th (23:25.2).
The Eagles'
Sami Miller finished 54th (23:44.4) with Bryan Sato 56th (23:46.4),
Eileen Zopel 57th (23:46.5) and
Taylor Bussiere 62nd (23:54.8).
Ella Woodworth placed 87th (24:12.9),
Meredith Gilles 88th (24:14.6) and
Olivia Heilman 96th (24:17.7).
Claire Vukovics of Carleton (Minn.) won the individual title (21:45.7). A total of 336 runners completed the race.
UWL returns to action Saturday, October 18 at the Augustana College (Ill.) Interregional Invitational at 11:45 a.m.
