INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Following All-Region performances at NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional Saturday, it was announced by the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Track and Field and Cross Country Committee Sunday that Washington & Jefferson College student-athletes
Cassie Carr (Girard, Pa./Girard) and
Claire Anderson (Jamestown, Pa./Jamestown) earned spots in the 2023 NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship meet.
Dickinson College is hosting the championships on Nov. 18 at Big Spring High School in Newville, Pennsylvania. The women's championship race will begin at Noon Eastern.
Carr finished in ninth place overall at the event with a time of 21:34. That time ranked as the second best all-time in 6K history at W&J. The ninth-place finish also represents the best regional finish by Carr. The senior placed 12th overall as a junior and 21st as a sophomore. Carr will be making her second trip to the NCAA Championships. Carr earned a trip to the 2021 NCAA Championships.
Anderson, the 2023 PAC Runner of the Year, finished with a time of 21:42.4 to place 10th overall. The personal-best time helped Anderson qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the first time. Anderson competed in the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 1500 Meters as a freshman.
-- Head Coach Andy Upton On Carr and Anderson Qualifying For Nationals --
"I'm so proud of those two. The three of us talked about this day in week one of the season. We talked about this being a goal for both of them and the advantage they had chasing this together. We knew it wouldn't be easy but they were up for the challenge. The excitement they had in that meeting has existed throughout the entire season in every single workout they've ever done. To see them do exactly what we talked about is the one of the most gratifying experiences I have had in coaching. In the process they have also become very close friends and it has been a lot of fun to watch their relationship grow even tighter over the last few months. They are two great people who love the sport and I'm excited to see them get this opportunity to compete on the biggest stage against the best in the country — together."
In order to be eligible to participate in the championships, teams and individuals had to qualify in their respective NCAA regional competitions that were held this past weekend.
Thirty-two teams were selected to participate in each championship. The top seven-person team automatically qualified from each of the 10 regions, for a total of 10 teams. Twenty-two additional teams were selected at-large.
Seventy individuals, the first seven student-athletes from each region who are not part of a qualifying team, were selected to participate in each championship. The list of advancing teams and individuals is outlined below.
A live web stream of the championships will occur on www.NCAA.com beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern until the conclusion of the awards ceremony.
