COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – A tight 44-second split between their scoring runners was the key for the College of Idaho women's cross country team, as the Yotes won their first Cascade Conference title since 2013, topping the field in the event, presented by U.S. Bank, at Middlefield Golf Course.
With a pair of runners in the Top-5 and all five scorers in the Top-20, the Coyotes recorded 55 team points to end the 2-year run of Oregon Tech (94 points) – finishing well ahead of second-place Southern Oregon (70 points).
Junior
Erin Moyer finished fourth overall (18:02) and sophomore
Larissa Mauer placed fifth (18:05) to lead the C of I contingent, with senior
Molly Vitale-Sullivan joining the duo on the All-CCC team with a 12th-place finish (18:22). It is Mauer's second All-CCC honor and Vitale-Sullivan's third, while
Austin Basterrechea was honored as CCC Coach of the Year.
Outstanding runs by the four other runners in scoring positions were key to the Yotes victory – as
Chaye Uptmor placed 18th (18:42),
Lilly Whitehead took 19th (18:46),
Abbey Shirts placed 23rd (18:50) and
Madison Kingsbury placed 26th (18:56) – all in a 14-second scoring window.
Warner Pacific freshman Amelia Pullen claimed the individual title with a 5,000-meter time of 17:35, ahead of Eastern Oregon's Michelle Herbes (17:47) and Northwest Christian's Anika Rasubala (18:00).
With their win, the Yotes earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Cross Country National Championships in Vancouver, Wash., set for Nov. 22. It is the 12th-straight year C of I has qualified for the NAIA Championships.
