This is Union’s first chance at qualifying for nationals since being an active NCAA DII member.
With a team score of 82, the women’s team gained their points as the only school finishing the 6k race with five of the runners in the top-20 ranking. Janey Berends, freshman undecided major, finished 13th with a time of 23:27; Abby Berends, a freshman special education major, finished 15th with a time of 23:32; Audrey Hazlehurst, senior pharmacy student, finished 17th with a time of 23:40; BethAnne Davis, junior nursing major, finished 18th with a time of 23:43; and Lindsay Jakeman, sophomore business management major, was 19th with a time of 23:49. By finishing in the top 25, these five runners earned all-region honors.
The men finished up their season in the championship, placing 10th in their 10k race. Jacob Whitney, sophomore cell and molecular biology major, placed 9th with a time of 33:01, and Will Donelson, sophomore chemistry major, placed close behind in 12th place with a time of 33:12, with both earning all-region honors.
Reflecting over the team’s first year competing in NCAA DII, Whitney commented, “There’s a lot of good competition; [the men’s team is] going to train harder to compete.”
As they conclude their season, Whitney said the men aim to make it to nationals next year.
Gary Johnson, head cross country coach, commented on the race saying, “The men finished 10th in the region, which was as good as we were ranked in the men at any point this season.”
Effort will now be focused on preparing the women’s team as they train to compete in the national championship in Louisville, Kentucky on Dec. 6.
Davis said that being NCAA DII has allowed the women and men’s teams to compete in regional and national championships as opposed to having the opportunity to place in just the Gulf South Conference as their highest level of competition before this year. This has given the team new goals. Davis has seen specific ways the women’s team has grown over the course of their season.
“We have learned the importance of running as a team, being able to push each other and encourage each other during workouts and races to compete as a team,” Davis said. “The team as a whole has grown to be a family that sees how all of our personalities and strengths play on each other on and off the trails.”
After the women’s win, Johnson set aside time Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving to further train the women’s team for nationals.
“The women placed higher this season, but both teams do an excellent job of keeping perspective about what is really important about athletics,” Johnson said. “The teams are making great friendships and memories along the way and that is very rewarding as a coach to watch and participate.”
An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Gary Johnson as Randy Johnson. The article was updated Dec. 2 to correct the error.
