CEDARVILLE, Ohio - Katie Gillespie ran away from the field for the individual title and the Lady Jackets presented retiring head coach Elvin King another banner at the NCCAA Cross Country Championship.
Cedarville finished with 37 points to top the 19-team field competing at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course. Malone was next with 52 points while Indiana Wesleyan had 93.
Malone admittedly rested some of its top runners in preparation for next week’s NAIA Nationals and the host Lady Jackets took advantage. They captured the NCCAA crown for the fourth straight time and ninth overall.
Gillespie won her fourth race in a row covering the 5,000 meters in 17:39. She was one of five CU runners to grab NCCAA All-America honors by placing in the top 15. It’s the ninth time in the 29-year history of the meet that a Lady Jacket has won it.
Lydia Wong was the runner-up in 18:33. Other Cedarville All-Americans were Rachel Wong (10th; 19:02), Carolyn Case (12th; 19:04), and Neola Putnam (15th; 19:18). Also representing the Lady Jackets were Sarah Stevens (33rd; 19:55) and Hannah Lamos (36th; 20:03).
Lydia Wong was Cedarville's lone representative on the NCCAA Scholar-Athlete list. The group includes juniors and seniors who maintain a minimum 3.50 cumulative grade point average.
2009 NCCAA WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RESULTS
NCCAA WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES (pdf)
The NCCAA champion Lady Jackets pay tribute to Elvin King and wife, Joyce, following his final home meet as head coach of the Cedarville University women's cross country program.