Women's XC Three Peat

By Wyatt Hall


The Montevallo Women's Cross Country team hosted the NCAA Division 11 Regional cross Country Championships last Saturday for the second year in a row. A win this year for the team would give the UM Women three Regional championships in a row. Something no team at Montevallo has ever done.

Heading in to the race the Falcons were clear favorites but were feeling pressure by Queens University. In September Montevallo hosted the Falcon classic in which Queens won by more than ten points. "We were aiming to defeat Queens in this race and new it would be tough" said Coach Tommy Barksdale who is in his fourth year.

Even with Queens posting a fourth, fifth and sixth place finish it still was not enough to beat the falcons. Montevallo had all five of their runners inside the top fourteen including two of the top three. Senior Cheyenne Thompson came in second just ahead of Junior Katie Nelson in third. Senior Anna Leihnheiser rounded out the top ten for the falcons with a ninth place finish.

Two more seniors on the team Catherine Terrino anf Natalie Shoemaker finished thirteenh and fourteenth respectively.

Montevallo posted a score of 41 to edge out Queens by six points.

The Falcons completed the Three-peat. "It's exciting to make history" says Coach Barksdale as the Montevallo women became the first three champuonhsip team for Montevallo.

Nationals is up next for the Falcons and they are hoping for a top 15 finish after a top 20 finish last year. "I haven't always run that well at nationals but this year im running for that all American spot anf top 15 for my team" stated senior Cheyenne Thompson.

Nationals will take place Novemeber 19th at Saint Leo University.