Liz Wamsley took fourth in the Lewis Crossover race. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department
Senior captain Liz Wamsley took fourth place individually and the Hillsdale women’s cross country team finished in 20th place at the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois, Oct. 7.
The Lewis Crossover is one of the most competitive NCAA DII events in the country, with six out of eight U.S. regions in attendance. Ten of the teams were nationally ranked, and six were regionally ranked.
“It was one of the biggest meets I’ve seen,” freshman Megan Roberts said. “It was a totally different environment, but it was super fun being in such a big and competitive field yesterday. We had a lot of people who had personal bests and PRs on the 6k across the board.”
While Saturday was the first time Wamsley did not finish first, she celebrated a new 6K personal record of 21:06.9 minutes, within five seconds of second place.
“The other meets were definitely less competitive, so I feel like fourth is a really good place to be, especially getting to race against nationally ranked people,” Wamsley said. “It’s cool to see where I am in that broader field.”
Also placing was freshman Savannah Fraley who finished in 98th place with a collegiate-best time of 23:00.8 minutes, junior Vera Thompson in 151st in 23:30.8 minutes, and freshman Anna Stirton in 206th place with a collegiate-best time of 24:12.9 minutes.
Junior Brynn Edison finished in 214th place in 24:18.3 minutes, freshman Eleanor Clark in 218th place with a collegiate-best time of 24:22.4 minutes, and junior Kayla Loescher in 221st place in 24:28.9 minutes.
“It was a really fast course,” Thompson said. “Between the intense competition and the flatter course, a lot of people had personal bests.”
Roberts said she was happy with the team’s performance.
“It was our first race in the cooler weather, which was super nice,” Roberts said. “The course was great because it wasn’t in Michigan, so the hills weren’t necessarily there. There was only one hill at the beginning, but you didn’t feel it as much because it was early on.”
The Lewis Crossover marked the end of the Charger’s regular season and the start of their championship season.
“Coach said this past Monday was day one all over again,” Thompson said.
According to Thompson and Roberts, the team is treating the championship differently.
“It’s the same sport, but it’s a different mindset,” Roberts said. “We’ve worked so hard all season, and we just have to be extra careful and make sure that the hard work pays off.”
Roberts said the team will increase their consciousness of what they eat and how they sleep to prepare for the championship.
“We’ve always been aware of these things, but we’re just a little more serious about it now and are getting mentally focused for what’s to come,” Roberts said.
The Chargers will compete next in the 2023 G-MAC Championships Oct. 21 against regionally ranked rivals such as Cedarville University and Walsh University. Malone University will host the meet.
Roberts said she thought the team’s success and mental resilience at the Lewis Crossover was good preparation for the championship.
“We were all mentally tough on Saturday, and that competitive and new environment can cause extra nerves and stress,” Roberts said. “We’re working on that mental toughness and personal goals for the championship. Overall, our goal is just to be competitive and to really do our best every single time.”