Contact: Sam Fretto, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, sjfretto@noctrl.edu

UPDATE: Nov. 17, 2:50 p.m.: Julia Benes has been selected to represent North Central at the National Championship in an at-large individual bid after placing 10th in the regionals. 

Results

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (Nov. 16, 2024)- Coming off a third place finish at the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship,the North Central College women's cross country team traveled to the Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill., for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship, where they placed seventh of 28 teams.  

The No. 4 nationally ranked University of Chicago claimed first place, scoring 38 points. No. 8 ranked Washington University of St. Louis captured second place with 82 points, Wartburg College placed third with 127 points, and Central College (152) secured fourth. The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) went on a run as Illinois Wesleyan University (197) finished in fifth place, Wheaton College (208) in sixth, with North Central (215) taking seventh.  

Julia Benes crossed the finish line first for the Cardinals, giving North Central their only top-10 finish of the race as she placed 10th exactly. Benes finished in 22 minutes and two seconds, in a closely knit group. Lily Anderson (23:02.2) placed 39th, finishing exactly one minute after Benes.  

Marissa Magana (23:14.1) turned today into a personal record day as she placed 44th overall. Brianna Ruiz (23:53.2) had the same success, setting a personal record for herself in 59th place. Segilola Smith-Pariola (24:01.6) rounded out the top five for the Cardinals, taking 68th place. 

Natalie Nestler (24:27.0) earned 89th place, with Paige Runkle (25:00.0) placing 120th to finish off the top seven for North Central.  

The automatic qualifying bid for the National Championship goes to the University of Chicago for winning the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship. The NCAA will select 22 at-large team bids in addition to 70 individual bids based on their individual finishes at the regional championships. The NCAA will announce the bids Sunday, Nov. 17.

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