INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the third consecutive season, the Washington & Jefferson College cross country teams will be sending runners to the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship meets.
 
Both Claire Anderson (Jamestown, Pa./Jamestown) and Dominic Flitcraft (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) have qualified for the 2025 National Meet following their performances at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals. This marks Anderson's third straight trip to the national race and Flitcraft's second straight.
 
"I am super proud of what Dom and Claire have accomplished this year," stated Head Coach Andy Upton. "It is not easy to make the NCAA Championships and Dom has done it in consecutive years while Claire is doing it for the third straight time."
 
Anderson helped the W&J women's cross country team to its highest finish for team in cross country program history at an NCAA Regional race. Anderson led the way with a third-place finish and time of 21:33.62. Anderson was the top Presidents' Athletic Conference runner at the regional race, only being bested by runners from Carnegie Mellon and Johns Hopkins.
 
"Claire has been phenomenal all year. She has competed against stellar competition all year and has fared well, winning two of those meets and finishing in the top five of the rest, replied Upton. "I think the intense competition she faced all year helped her prepare for the Regional Championships even more. She ran a very smart strong race against great competition and did exactly what she needed to do running with the front pack for the entire race."
 
A season ago, Anderson collected the institutions' first women's cross country All-America honor since 2012 at the 2024 NCAA National Meet. She placed 23^rd with a time of 21:33.4, becoming the only other women's cross country runner from W&J to achieve All-American status since Kristen Galligan of the 2012 season.
 
"When Claire is healthy, she is one of the best runners in the country," stated Upton. "Well, she's healthy and running good right now so I'm excited to see how she takes what she learned from the last two years and applies it into this meet."
 
Flitcraft led the W&J men's team that finished 17th of the 31 participating teams. Flitcraft finished 10th with a time of 25:32.05. The junior was the top PAC runner at the regional race, only being bested by runners from Carnegie Mellon and Johns Hopkins. After becoming the 2025 conference champion two weeks ago, Flitcraft added on to his accolades this season with his second-consecutive Mid-Atlantic All-Region honor and trip to the NCAA National Championships.
 
"For the second year in a row, Dom saved his best race of the year for the Regional Championships. He was in control and looked strong for the whole entire race," said Upton. "He ran with the front pack from the very start of the race and towards the middle of the race found himself battling with some very good runners from a very good John Hopkins team. Dom got right on their hip and stuck right with them running himself into his second consecutive NCAA Championship. "
 
A year ago, marked the junior's first trip to the NCAA National Championships. Flitcraft finished 131st with a time of 25.22.9 in his appearance at Nationals. The trio of Flitcraft, Anderson and Brock Pennington (North East, Pa./North East) '25 marked the first time in program history that the W&J cross country teams sent three runners to the National meets.
 
"Dom has had a good season but his last two races at the PAC Championships and now at the Regional Championships were special. He had a different look to him before both races, and he delivered in each of them," replied Upton. "I am very excited to see how he learned from last year's National race and how he carries that knowledge along with his current momentum into this year's race."
 
Flitcraft will kick it off for both runners, competing in the NCAA Men's Cross Country National championships at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday (Nov. 22). Anderson is set to compete in the NCAA Women's Cross Country National Championships at 11:00 a.m. following the men's race. Each race will be hosted by Converse University and OneSpartanburg, Inc. at the Roger Milliken Cross Country course at the Roger Milliken Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
 
"They are both great runners but they are even better teammates and people so I'm very excited and proud to see them get another opportunity to do what they love and compete against the best runners in the country" stated Upton.