Women's Cross Country | 11/5/2016 11:46:00 AM

Montevallo, Ala.----The Wingate University women's cross country team earned its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II national championship meet, thanks to a third-place showing in the Southeast Region championship meet Saturday at the University of Montevallo Cross Country Course (complete results). The Bulldogs posted 98 points, 72 markers ahead of fourth-place Anderson (S.C.).
 
Wingate All-SAC performers Alyssa Johnson (San Jose, Calif.) and Madison Hiatt (Fresno, Calif.) collected additional hardware for their trophy cases by earning All-Southeast Region honors. Johnson receives All-Southeast Region distinction for the third time in her illustrious career. She finished 11th with a 6K time of 21:55.21.
 
"I am proud of the way the women raced today and thrilled for the seniors to qualify for their fourth trip to the NCAA Cross Country Championships," Wingate head cross country coach Ashley Glover says. "They have continued to move up in the Southeast Region rankings throughout the season. Their efforts today moved them up another spot once again."  

Hiatt was next on the individual charts, claiming 12th place with her 6K time of 21:59.69. Wingate's next three scorers followed a similar pattern, finishing 26th, 27th and 28th. Redshirt sophomore Sydney Lautzenheiser (North Canton, Ohio) led the Bulldogs' second wave with her 6K time of 22:34.84.
 
Juniors Juliet Salgueiro (Savannah, Ga.) and Valerie Griesche (Ingolstadt, Germany) rounded out Wingate's counting scorers with 6K times of 22:36.86 and 22:37.71, respectively. Wingate seniors Morgan Neher (Sedalia, Colo.) and Anna Clapsaddle (Raleigh, N.C.) finished 39th (23:02.49) and 41st (23:04.40), respectively, out of 182 student-athletes who completed the race.
 
"Alyssa Johnson and Madison Hiatt led the team with all-region performances," Glover says. "Madison Hiatt improved her 31st place performance in 2015 with a 12th place finish today. I was impressed most by the way the women raced as a team. All seven women raced with a purpose which resulted in many 6K personal records."

The top three women's teams are the same as the 2015 race with Queens University of Charlotte and Wingate traded the second and third spots from the previous year. Host the University of Montevallo won the regional race for the third year in a row with 41 points. The Falcons had five student-athletes finish in the top 15. Queens (47) and Wingate (98) completed the top three teams.
 
The University of Mount Olive freshman Leah Hanle (Lichtenstein, Germany) won the women's 6K race by almost 23 seconds with her time of 21:03.65. Hanle will compete in the national meet as an individual, along with Georgia College junior Katherine Yost and Anderson junior Haylee Love.