Cross Country’s Run Ends at Midwest Regionals

Coming off first and second place finishes at the Atlantic 10 Conference Championships, the Loyola Cross Country teams returned to Peoria, IL Nov. 15 for the NCAA Midwest Regionals, looking to send a runner to the national championships for the third straight year.

In order for one of Loyola’s teams to advance, they needed to finish in the Regional top two as a squad or place close enough for the NCAA to choose them as one of the 13 at-large bids accepted.

For an individual from Loyola to qualify, they needed to be on a team qualified for the national championships or be a top four finisher on a non-qualifying team. After the races were complete, the NCAA then chose two more racers to compete as individuals.

Women’s Cross Country:

Coming off their three-peat capture in the A10, women’s cross country headed into Regionals looking to climb into the top two, after coming in eighth in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Midwest Region. 

The Ramblers finished ninth in the field of 33, sliding one spot down from their original ranking. Coming in first for Loyola was fourth-year Grace Kuhn, who finished in 23rd and set a personal best with a time of 20:27.58. Kuhn’s finish inside the top 25 secured her all USTFCCCA All-Region honors.

Fourth-year Emma Watcke was the next Rambler to finish, crossing almost half a minute later in 49th at 20:52.33. Four seconds behind Watcke was third-year Roisin Treacy who finished at 20:56.94, coming in 54th place. 

Crossing in 60th was fourth-year Delica McDade-Clay, timing in at 21:01.46. Fourth-year Grace Jostock finalized the Ramblers scoring when she finished in 75th at 21:13.69.

The Rambler women had two other racers competing — second-year Eileen Seebon and fourth-year Ali Gillooly who came in 80th and 106th. The pair timed in at 21:16.32 and 21:34.67, with Gillooly setting a personal best.

With none of the Ramblers placing in the top two, the team didn’t qualify for National Championships and no racers were selected for at-large bids, bringing the team’s season to a close.

Men’s Cross Country:

Coming in as the seventh ranked university in the USTFCCCA Midwest Rankings, the Loyola men were also looking to earn a spot in the national championships or send an individual runner to the event for the third consecutive year.

The team came up just short, placing fifth in a field of 29, improving upon their regional ranking. Loyola was left just outside the final rankings as they finished two spots behind third place Tulsa — the only Midwest at-large bid recipient.

On the individual side, the Ramblers were led by fourth-year James Lawrence who placed 14th with a time of 29:38.33. Lawrence’s placement earned him USTFCCCA All-Region honors but put him just short of reaching the national championships, as he was 13 seconds behind being the last Midwest Qualifier. 

Rounding out the top 30 was fourth-year Miles Clisham, who finished near the half-hour mark at 30:14.96. Second-year Jake Phillips was only a few seconds behind at 30:22.78, coming in 37th. 

The Ramblers scoring was capped off by two new personal bests set by second-year Cael Mulholland and fourth-year Gabe Smit, clocking in at 30:40.25 and 30:42.03, good enough for 53rd and 55th. Last for the Ramblers was first-year Samuel Field, who earned 126th with a time of 31:45.95.

The Regional results marked the first time since 2019 Loyola hasn’t sent a member to represent them in the National Championships. With award season all but over, their attention will now turn to the upcoming indoor track and field season.