Graduate student Cullen Capuano and senior Matthew Hornung compete in an early-season race. (Courtesy of WashU Athletics)

WashU’s No. 8 women’s cross country and No. 21 men’s cross-country teams both placed third at the 2024 University Athletic Association (UAA) championship on Nov. 2.

WashU took to the Coogan XC Course in Attleboro, Massachusetts for the 2024 conference championships, where both the men’s team and women’s team delivered strong performances and earned podium finishes. Competing against some of the top programs in the nation, the Bears demonstrated both depth and resilience, as each team secured third place and laid the groundwork for a promising NCAA postseason.

For the men’s team, graduate student Cullen Capuano led the charge, crossing the finish line in third place with a time of 24:25.3. Just a few seconds behind him, senior Matthew Hornung finished fourth in 24:31.4, further bolstering the Bears’ standing. Junior Conor Daly kept the momentum going with a 17th-place finish, clocking in at 25:00.0, while junior Alexander Bullard and senior Jack Maranz placed 22nd and 26th, with times of 25:10.4 and 25:22.2, respectively. Their combined efforts totaled 72 points, securing a third-place team finish just behind No. 8 New York University (NYU) and No. 16 Carnegie Mellon University. The men’s team showcased the depth of their roster, with every runner contributing to a performance that bodes well for their upcoming competitions.

On the women’s side, the Bears faced equally tough competition and showed their strength with a third-place finish. Junior Jillian Heth led the women’s team with a standout performance, finishing ninth in 21:44.8. Senior Abby Patterson, one of the team’s most experienced runners, followed closely in 14th place, clocking a time of 21:54.2. The Bears’ scoring lineup was rounded out by first-year Lucinda Laughlin, who finished 16th in 21:58.2; senior Julia Patterson in 17th with 21:59.2; and senior Sophie Bekins in 19th with 22:05.3. This balanced showing gave the women a total of 75 points, putting them just behind No. 11 University of Chicago and No. 4 NYU.

After the UAA championship, the Bears returned to competition in a three-mile race at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. WashU took eight of the Top 10 spots in the men’s field, with juniors James Corbett and Max Latshaw finishing first and second, with respective times of 14:35.08 and 14:36.39. On the women’s side, first-year Sofia Sheldon was the Bears’ top finisher in third place with a time of 17:29.96. Four other WashU runners — sophomore Vivienne Larson, junior Kristin Loftus, and sophomore Lily Dipple — followed Sheldon, finishing in fourth through sixth place.

The strong finishes continue a strong fall season for both teams. On the women’s side, the Bears have now placed in the Top 5 in their last three meets, including a first-place finish in the Blue 6k at the Augustana Interregional Invitational on Sept. 19. The men’s highest finish of the season came in early September when sophomore Will Liu won the open 8k and the team placed first in the open race at the Nike Twilight XC meet. In the second race at the Pre-Nationals Meet, which previews some of the best programs in Division III, WashU placed fifth.

The Bears now set their sights on the NCAA Midwest Regional, which will take place on Nov. 16 in Rock Island, Illinois. WashU’s women are ranked second in the Midwest region behind UChicago, while the men are ranked third behind two teams in the national Top 5: No. 2 Wartburg College and No. 4 North Central. Both the men’s team and women’s team are eager to capitalize on their momentum and bring their best to the regional competition. 

Junior Sports Editor Lewis Rand contributed to this article.