VERMILLION Freshman Courtney Stadter secured bronze to lead South Dakota State to a first-place team finish at the Summit League Cross Country Championship meet on Saturday afternoon.
Today was a complete team effort, SDSU assistant coach Alex Muntefering said. Not just five women showing up and running their best, but all ten, and thats what made a tremendous difference today and allowed us to be standing on top of the podium at the end of the race. What set today up was our resilient mindset. Weve been through a lot this season. Maybe more than any other season in the past. Our ability to stay committed to each other, overcome adversity, and ultimately run for each other allowed us to put that performance out there.
Stadter led the womens team to victory with a third-place finish, clocking a time of 20:59.88, just four seconds short of the Jackrabbit Bluffs Golf Course record. Transfer Meghan Ford crossed the line in seventh place, finishing at 21:05.14. Jessica Lutmer finished hot on Fords tail in eighth place with a time of 21:07.82.
Jenna Soine, Mya Kizer, and Kayla Christopherson crossed the line together. Soine clocked a new PR of 21:34.51 to take 11th, while Kizer rounded out the scoring five in 12th with a time of 21:36.27. Christopherson finished a second behind Kizer at 21:37.10 to take 13th and nab a spot on the All-Summit League Second Team.
Grace Waage rounded out the top 15 runners with a time of 21:38.46. Emma Ecker crossed the line at 22:03.70 to take 21st. Emma Gonzalez finished 30th with a time of 22:29.54 and Nicole Swanson rounded out the Jackrabbit squad in 35th with a time of 22:39.51.
Following the mens race, Summit League athletes were honored with conference awards. In her first year, Stadter was named to the All-Summit League First Team and took home the Summit Leagues Newcomer of the Year award. Fords seventh-place finish secured her a spot with Stadter on First Team in her first appearance at the Summit League Championship meet.
The All-Summit League Second Team was comprised of a majority of Jackrabbits. Seniors Lutmer and Kizer clinched their second-straight All-Summit League Second Team honors. Soine found herself on Second Team at her first conference meet while Christopherson finished her last conference meet with Second Team honors.
The Jacks will head to NCAA Regionals in Peoria, Ill., on Nov. 15.
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