CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The nation’s top runners will embark on the Lavern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Indiana for the running of the 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships this Saturday, November 23. The women’s 6,000-meter event is set to begin at 10:00a (CST) with the men’s 8,000-meter race to follow at 11:00a (CST).
To be eligible to participate in the championships, teams and individuals must qualify in their respective NCAA regions. The top team in each of the ten regions earned an automatic qualifying bid, leaving room for 22 at-large teams bids to make up the 32-team field. Seventy (70) individuals, the first seven student-athletes from each region who are not part of a qualifying team, were also selected to participate in each championship.
Winning the men’s Midwest Regional last weekend, Wartburg College, earned an automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Championships. The women’s team from Wartburg and the Loras College men qualified for the championships by receiving an at-large bid Sunday afternoon earlier this week.
On the men’s side, Wartburg was led by the Midwest Region Champion, Isaiah Hammerand, who ran the 8k in 24:14.2. Following closely behind was his teammate, Jacob Green, who finished with a time of 24:16.9 to finish individually runner-up. Lance Sobaski was another Knight to finish in the top-ten with a sixth place finish crossing the finish line in a time of 24:40.2. Wartburg’s Eli Larson (24:56.5 - 16th) and Shane Erb (25:01.6) all completed the regional meet with top-25 finishes.
The Loras Duhawks earned an at-large bid to the championship and were led by Isaac Bourne at the Midwest Regional when he finished 11th with a time of 24:46.7 in the 8k race.
The Wartburg women earned an at-large selection to the NCAA Championships. Ellie Meyer finished 6th at regionals with a time of 21:49.4 in the 6k race and Lydia Maas finished in the top-25 as well with a time of 22:27.2.
The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) saw six individuals qualify for the championships. On the women’s side, the strong Central duo of Addy Parrott and Peyton Steffen qualified for the NCAA Championships after 3rd and 4th at the Midwest Regional. Simpson’s Teghan Booth will join them. Booth finished 12th at the Midwest Regional.
On the men’s side, Anthony Carney of Dubuque, Lewis Kleman of Coe, and Derek Webster of Central will compete this upcoming Saturday in the big race. Carney finished 23rd at regionals with a time of 25:08.2. With a time of 25:11.5, Kleman finished 25th and Derek Webster crossed the finish line in 28th place with a time of 25:16.3, a personal record for him.
The live web stream of the championships will occur on
www.NCAA.com beginning at 10:00a (CST) until the conclusion of the awards ceremony. Hosting this year’s championship is Rose-Hulman.
About the American Rivers Conference
The Conference dates back to December 8, 1922, when representatives from 12 colleges got together and formed the "Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association." Honoring its heritage in Iowa and its expansion outside the state, the American Rivers Conference brand was established on August 9, 2018, to build on the academic and athletic success provided by its legacy, the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The A-R-C has nine full-time members: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College.
