Landmark Runners Heading to NCAA Meet

MADISON, N.J. - Four Landmark Conference Cross Country runners have qualified to compete at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships after their performances at the NCAA Regionals this past weekend.

Landmark Conference individual champions Paul Thistle and Alycia Woodruff of Susquehanna University, along with J. Fraley Coles of Goucher College and Alys Cheatle of The Catholic University of America all qualified as individuals for the NCAA Champions. The Division III Championships will be held Nov. 17 at the St. Olaf Cross Country Trails in Northfield Minn. The women's race will begin at 11 a.m. Central time followed by the men's race at noon Central time.

In order to be eligible to participate in the championships, teams and individuals must qualify in their respective NCAA regions.Thirty-two teams were selected to participate in each championship. The top two, seven-person teams automatically qualified from each of the eight regions, for a total of 16 teams. Sixteen additional teams were selected at-large. Fifty-six individuals, the first seven athletes from each region who are not a part of a qualifying team, were selected to participate in each championship.

Thistle, who won the Landmark Men's Cross Country Championship on Oct. 27, was the only male Landmark runner to qualify. He earned his spot by posting a 21st-place finish at the NCAA Mideast Regional in Allentown, Pa. Thistle covered the 8K course in a time of 25:28, which was his fastest time of the season at that distance. His time was more than a minute faster than his previous season best.

On the women's side Woodruff placed ninth overall at the Mideast Regional to earn her spot at the national meet. The Landmark individual champion posted a time of 22:21 on the 6K course which was a season-best time. It improved on her previous best by more than a minute.

Coles was five spots behind Woodruff to earn a 14th-place finish and claim a spot in the NCAA Championship field. Her time of 22:32 was the fastest of her career over 6K and established a new Goucher College record at that distance.

Cheatle compete at the NCAA South Regional in Newport News, Va. where she placed 13th to reach the NCAA Championships. She ran a time of 23:58 to become the first Cardinal runner to earn a spot at the championships since 1991.

The Catholic women placed ninth at the NCAA South Regional, the highest team finish for a Landmark team at any of the NCAA Regionals. The Juniata College men's team had the best men's team result as they finished 12th at the Mideast Regional.