HILLSDALE, Mich. – For the first time since 2018, the Walsh University Cavaliers took home the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Championship in a thrilling team victory on Saturday morning. 

The Cavaliers outscored the reigning G-MAC Champions, Cedarville, by two points in the team score. This strong team effort was aided by seven athletes finishing in the top 25, led by sophomore Bella Graham finishing in 5th. Alyssa Stoner and Andi Mann also joined Graham on the First-Team All Conference List, finishing in eighth and tenth respectively. Head Coach Rob Mizicko was voted the Great Midwest Coach of the Year for women’s cross country. This is his sixth time receiving this award, third for the women’s competition.  

The top two finishers were courtesy of Hillsdale. First place finisher, Evyn Humphrey, became the Runner of the Year and Freshman of the Year with a time of 21:33.8. Freshman Allison Kuzma followed four seconds later, earning herself  First-Team All-Conference honors and a third place team finish for the Chargers. 

Cedarville senior Emily Walsh finished in third with an impressive display, crossing the finish line just 7 seconds after the top-finisher. Her teammate Corinne Lynch made the First-Team All Conference List with a seventh place finish. Alyson Enns and Helen Rhymer will also be recognized with Second-Team All Conference honors for their top 20 finishes. The reigning G-MAC champions finished in second as a team overall. 

The Elite 26 Award was presented to Malone’s Kylee Gray, a junior majoring in Early Childhood Education.

Tiffin’s Ines Macadam and Ashland’s Lily Dowdell round out the first-team honorees, placing in fourth and sixth respectively. 

Findlay finished in fourth as a team, led by junior Sarah Reinhart’s thirteenth place individual result. 

Teams will start preparation for the NCAA Midwest Regionals on Nov. 9 in Romeoville, Ill. More information on the Great Midwest Cross Country Championship can be found on the Championship Central page.