Taylor Earns Three-Peat with Crossroads League Championship
Crossroads League Championship Results | Photo Gallery
HUNTINGTON, Ind. – The Taylor University women's cross country program claimed the Crossroads League Championship on Saturday at Huntington, edging Indiana Wesleyan in a thrilling race for TU's third title in three years and the fifth in program history.
"Just as we expected, this was a classic battle with IWU," reflected 2015 Crossroads League Coach of the Year, Quinn White. "We got out well and controlled the pace but IWU moved well in the last mile to close the gap. We had some great finishing kicks to secure the victory."
The Trojans ran the seventh-best team time in program history, combining for a mark of 94:52 to finish 40 seconds better than No. 9 IWU and gain a four-point edge over the Wildcats in the team standings.
Taylor's Alex Berends topped the field by nearly 30 seconds for a second-straight Crossroads League Championship, leading a group of six Trojans to finish among the top-12 performers in the race.
"Alex ran smart and comfortable," stated White. "She helped pace the pack for the first two miles before taking off to win."
Berends finished with a time of 18:22.7 and was followed by Anissa Richards (19:01.0) in seventh. A wave of Trojans swept ninth through 12th in the standings with Hannah Schroder (19:04.4), Michelle Franch (19:09.1), Jane Hawks (19:15.2) and Andi Foster (19:16.6) all qualifying for All-Crossroads League accolades along with Berends and Richards.
The All-Crossroads League honor is the fourth for senior Hawks, the second for Berends, Richards, Schroder and Foster and the first for Franch.
Rachel Blagg and Mae Elizabeth Gimre ended in 16th and 19th to give Taylor eight runners inside the top-20, while Anna Souzis, Alyssa Hatteberg, Margie Crosby, Taryn Seeland and Sarina Oleson gave TU 13 individuals within the top-50 at the 10-team meet.
"I am proud of this whole team. They have used their talent well to honor God," summarized White. "It has been an exciting year so far."
No. 4 Taylor (91-3) will now set its sights on closing the 2015 season with a strong-showing at the NAIA National Championships in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 21. TU has finished 10th at the race in each of the past two years.
