Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, October 19
Terre Haute, Ind.
Eastern Michigan University
at
NCAA Pre-Nationals
Women's Cross Country Faces Tough Field at Pre-National Invitational
10/19/2019 3:28:00 PM | Women's XC
Natalie Cizmas shines for the Eagles with a 25th-place finish
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's cross country team faced its most challenging race of the season at the 2019 Under Armour Pre-National Invitational Saturday, Oct. 19, finishing the 6K event in 33rd place with a team score of 823 points.
"It was a disappointing day for us," said head coach Sue Parks. "We were in solid position as a team (18th) at the 4,000 meter mark, but we ran into some major trouble during the last part of the race. We are capable of much more but it all fell apart at the end today. It's not what we wanted, but all we can do is move forward and focus on getting ready for the MAC meet.
"Individually, graduate student Natalie Cizmas (Clinton Twp., Mich.-Chippewa Valley) had an excellent race against a national class field and junior Madison Distelrath (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Homestead) made a big step forward," added Parks. Sophomore Janay Hall (Fayetteville, N.C.-South View) had a strong showing in the open race. We are motivated to figure things out and be ready for a great team performance two weeks from now."
Cizmas registered EMU's fastest time at the LaVern Gibson Championships Cross Country Course as she finished in 25th place at 20:41.5, while Distelrath and redshirt senior Emily Smith (Somerset, England-Wells Cathedral School) logged times of 22:15.5 and 22:16.5, respectively. Freshman Esme Davies (Lake District, England-Queen Elizabeth Grammar School) placed 199th with a time of 22:21.9, while sophomore Emily DeLine (Newport, Mich.-Airport), senior Karlie Swanson (New South Wales, Australia-Bellingen), and sophomore Kaitlyn St. Bernard (Newport, Mich.-Jefferson) clocked in at 22:42.6, 22:44.8, and 22:51.4, respectively.
In the open race, Hall paced the Green and White with a time of 22:38.2, while Sophomore Lexi Seifert (Waterford, Pa.-Villa Maria Academy) also finished in the top-50 at 23:06.1. Additionally, sophomore Olivia Chandler (Brighton, Mich.-Brighton), freshman Linda Geissler (Weinheim, Germany-Werner-Heisenberg Gymnasium Weinheim), and senior Abbigail Stemple (Mason, Ohio-William Mason) recorded times of 23:30.0, 23:52.3, and 25:55.3, respectively.
Eastern returns to Washtenaw County Friday, Oct. 25 to host the EMU Fall Classic at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Mich.
"It was a disappointing day for us," said head coach Sue Parks. "We were in solid position as a team (18th) at the 4,000 meter mark, but we ran into some major trouble during the last part of the race. We are capable of much more but it all fell apart at the end today. It's not what we wanted, but all we can do is move forward and focus on getting ready for the MAC meet.
"Individually, graduate student Natalie Cizmas (Clinton Twp., Mich.-Chippewa Valley) had an excellent race against a national class field and junior Madison Distelrath (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Homestead) made a big step forward," added Parks. Sophomore Janay Hall (Fayetteville, N.C.-South View) had a strong showing in the open race. We are motivated to figure things out and be ready for a great team performance two weeks from now."
Cizmas registered EMU's fastest time at the LaVern Gibson Championships Cross Country Course as she finished in 25th place at 20:41.5, while Distelrath and redshirt senior Emily Smith (Somerset, England-Wells Cathedral School) logged times of 22:15.5 and 22:16.5, respectively. Freshman Esme Davies (Lake District, England-Queen Elizabeth Grammar School) placed 199th with a time of 22:21.9, while sophomore Emily DeLine (Newport, Mich.-Airport), senior Karlie Swanson (New South Wales, Australia-Bellingen), and sophomore Kaitlyn St. Bernard (Newport, Mich.-Jefferson) clocked in at 22:42.6, 22:44.8, and 22:51.4, respectively.
In the open race, Hall paced the Green and White with a time of 22:38.2, while Sophomore Lexi Seifert (Waterford, Pa.-Villa Maria Academy) also finished in the top-50 at 23:06.1. Additionally, sophomore Olivia Chandler (Brighton, Mich.-Brighton), freshman Linda Geissler (Weinheim, Germany-Werner-Heisenberg Gymnasium Weinheim), and senior Abbigail Stemple (Mason, Ohio-William Mason) recorded times of 23:30.0, 23:52.3, and 25:55.3, respectively.
Eastern returns to Washtenaw County Friday, Oct. 25 to host the EMU Fall Classic at Hudson Mills Metropark in Dexter, Mich.
Team Results
33. Eastern Michigan 823
EMU Individual Results – Blue Race
25. Natalie Cizmas 20:41.5
189. Madison Distelrath 22:15.5
190. Emily Smith 22:16.5
199. Esme Davies 22:21.9
225. Emily DeLine 22:42.6
228. Karlie Swanson 22:44.8
232. Kaitlyn St. Bernard 22:51.4
EMU Individual Results – Open Race
31. Janay Hall 22:38.2
45. Lexi Seifert 23:06.1
59. Olivia Chandler 23:30.0
75. Linda Geissler 23:52.3
107. Abbigail Stemple 25:55.3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
/ Women's XC
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