WXC headed to nationals after runner-up finish at Mideast Regional

NEWVILLE, Pa. -- The Elizabethtown College women's cross country team made history Saturday at the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional at Big Spring High School. For the first time in program history, all five scoring runners earned all-region honors, as the Blue Jays finished runner-up to Johns Hopkins and earned an automatic bid to next week's NCAA Division III Championships.

Elizabethtown and Hopkins were the only teams to place all five scorers in the top 30.

The E-town Blue Jays also joined the regional champion Johns Hopkins Blue Jays as the lone teams with average times under 23 minutes. Elizabethtown's average of 22:44.2 was led by Brenna McNamee. McNamee, an All-Mideast Region runner for a second consecutive season, ran a season-best 6k time of 22:26.5 and took 12th overall.

The 2017 Landmark Conference runner-up, Kelsey Brady, came in next, 15th, at 22:31.2. Brady's time was also a season-best. Within three seconds of Brady was senior teammate Maria Anderson, who ran 22:34.5. Brady and Anderson were also all-region for a second consecutive season.

Kaitlin Donahue was the team's fourth all-region runner and fourth scoring member on Saturday. The freshman, a Landmark First Team performer two weeks ago, was 27th in 23:03.8. The four all-region performances equaled the most for the program at a regional meet.

Colleen Kernan finished right after Donahue, in 28th, at 23:05.0, to provide the program's first Mideast Regional meet with all five in the top 35, which earn the All-Mideast Region status.

Donahue and Kernan both ran season bests, with Kernan's time also a personal record.

Elizabethtown, ranked 18th in the latest USTFCCCA Division III Poll, the highest the Blue Jays have been this season, finished the meet with 100 points and second in the Mideast. E-town earned one of the 16 automatic qualifying bids (top two from each region) to the national meet.

The women's cross country team, who qualified for nationals the past two times they've competed at Big Spring High School, will take on the best in the country next Saturday, November 18, in Elsah, Ill.

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Players Mentioned

Maria Anderson: 5' 3"; Junior

Kelsey Brady: 5' 3"; Junior

Colleen Kernan: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Brenna McNamee: 5' 4"; Junior

Maria Anderson: 5' 3"; Senior

Kelsey Brady: 5' 3"; Senior

Colleen Kernan: 5' 4"; Junior

Brenna McNamee: 5' 4"; Senior

Kaitlin Donahue: 5' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Maria Anderson
: 5' 3"; Junior

Kelsey Brady
: 5' 3"; Junior

Colleen Kernan
: 5' 3"; Sophomore

Brenna McNamee
: 5' 4"; Junior

Maria Anderson
: 5' 3"; Senior

Kelsey Brady
: 5' 3"; Senior

Colleen Kernan
: 5' 4"; Junior

Brenna McNamee
: 5' 4"; Senior

Kaitlin Donahue
: 5' 7"; Freshman