Fort Lewis College Athletics

Skyhawks men's and women's cross country earn bids to NCAA DII Championships

11/6/2023 6:16:00 PM

By: Angela Roberts, Assistant AD-Communications

INDIANAPOLIS – For the first time in program history, Fort Lewis College men's and women's cross country will represent Skyhawks Athletics at the 2023 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships, announced Monday. The teams have competed separately but have never earned bids in the same season.

Thirty-four teams were selected to participate in each championship. The top three, seven-person teams automatically qualified from each of the eight regions, for a total of 24 teams. Ten additional teams were selected at-large. A minimum of 24 additional individuals were selected to participate in each championship through an automatic qualifier and at-large selection process.

After incredible showings throughout the season at the Lewis Crossover, the RMAC Championships, and the South Central Regional, both Skyhawks programs have earned at large bids to the big dance. The RMAC will be well represented on the men's and women's side with eight men's teams and seven women's teams earning bids.

The Fort Lewis men's team is coming off a sixth-place finish at the South Central Regional—an amazing turnaround after placing 11^th in 2022. The team ran as a pack, earning 33^rd, 34^th, 37^th, 42^nd, and 47^th place to round out the top five. It was an accumulation of several head-turning races throughout the year, and the result ultimately paid off.

"For the men, this is the team's first time qualifying since 2012. The team bought into my training, and to see this success in just one year is amazing," said head coach Shawn Jakubowski. "They have been working hard since June to hit this goal, committing to the mileage and getting after it all season. It's great to see them enjoy the moment."

The Skyhawks women's team turned in a 9^th place finish at the South Central Regional, led by senior Katie Heck who earned All-Regional accolades with an 18^th place race. Freshman Linda Weigang followed in 28^th while the rest of the pack finished 71^st, 72^nd, and 73^rd. The team has had a solid 2023 campaign which truly kicked off with the prestigious Lewis Crossover in early October. At Lewis, the Skyhawks placed sixth in the loaded field, ultimately topping a handful of nationally ranked programs to boost their resume.

"This one was a nail biter, but I felt strongly that our showing at Lewis and at conference would be enough to get us in," recognized Jakubowski. "The women put in so much work and dedicated themselves to making it as a team, and seeing their excitement was an experience I'll never forget."

Fort Lewis will have nearly two weeks to train and prepare for the NCAA Division II Championship which will be Saturday, November 18 in Joplin, Missouri. The women's race will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by the men's race at 10:15 a.m. from the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. Missouri Southern State University will serve as the host.

Print Friendly Version