Women’s cross country wins national title, men’s finish in 3rd

After coming within eight points of first-place Middlebury in last year’s NCAA Championship, the Washington University women’s cross country team blew past the nation’s number-one ranked team to claim its first title in school history Saturday in Oshkosh, Wis. Four Bears placed in the top 23 to fuel the 41-point victory over Middlebury.

The men’s team finished third in the nation, also a program record.

Each of the top five runners for both the men’s and women’s teams ran season-best times. Senior Erica Jackey (21:04.21) checked in at fourth overall on the 6K course, the highest finish by a women’s runner in school history. Freshman Lucy Cheadle (20^th place, 21:28.59), sophomore Sarah Fisher (22^nd place, 21:31.34), senior Molly Wawrzyniak (23^rd place, 21:31.55) and senior Liz Phillips (40^th place, 21:48.79) followed Jackey in the Bears’ top five.

Senior Michael Burnstein earned his third straight All-American honors for the men’s team, finishing 10^th overall (24:25.25). Burnstein was joined by fellow senior Tucker Hartley (30^th place, 24:41.99), Jackey, Cheadle, Fisher and Wawrzyniak as All-Americans.

Junior David Hamm (44^th place, 24:55.98), senior Kwin Keuter (83^rd place, 25:10.33) and freshman Ryan Senci (107^th place, 25:19.04) completed the men’s top five.

See Monday’s edition of Student Life for full coverage of the national title meet.