Results

DAHINDA, Ill. – Grinnell College's women's cross country team, which has been enjoying a successful 2019 regular-season campaign, put a punctuation mark on it Saturday with a dominating performance at the 2019 Midwest Conference Championships.
 
The Pioneers had five All-Conference performers, all finishing in the top 11, as they tallied a miniscule point total of 31 points. Monmouth College was a distant second with 57 points.
 
The title was Grinnell's league-high 20th, with coach Evelyn Freeman owning 18 of those in her final MWC meet before retirement. It also marked the first time Grinnell has won the crown since 2014.
 
Mikayla Fujiwara '20 posted her highest MWC Championships finish ever, placing second in a field of 121 runners. She toured the 6-kilometer Oak Run Golf Course path in 24 minutes, 16.7 seconds. It marked the third time Fujiwara has earned All-MWC honors.
 
Ally Cottrell '21 was close behind, placing third in 24:23.6. It was also her highest placing as she earned All-MWC recognition for the second time.
 
Emma Schaefer '22 was next in line, running 24:43.6 to place sixth and earn All-MWC honors for the first time. Completing the scoring were Madeleine Breunig '20, ninth in 24:59.7, and Tori LaVerdiere '20, 11th in 25:01.5. Like Fujiwara, LaVerdiere is also All-MWC for the third time and Breunig is a first-time honoree. For Schaefer, Breunig and LaVerdiere, it marked their highest finish at the MWC meet.
 
Other top finishers for Grinnell were Rachel Bottum '23, 26th in 25:45.1, and Cara Keleher '21, 30th in 25:53.7.
 
The Pioneers travel to Waverly in two weeks for the NCAA Division III Regional Championships.