Women's Cross Country | September 02, 2016

THREE RIVERS, Mich. – The Western Michigan cross country team opened up the 2016 season Friday night at the George Dales Invitational, where reigning Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion Eastern Michigan came away in first place at Pine View Golf Club.

Eastern Michigan finished with a team score of 16 while the Broncos finished with 45. EMU claimed the top-4 spots individually as Jordann McDermitt won the 5k race with a time of 16:57.27, leading the race seemingly from start to finish. The Broncos highest finisher came in fifth place as junior Hanne Christensen crossed the finish line with a time of 18:06.59. Sophomore Sarah Anderson came in eighth (18:41.25), junior Claire Gilbert ninth (18:50.21), senior Amy Littlefield 13^th (19:35.83) and freshman Holly Blowers in 14^th (19:41.56) rounded out the Broncos top-5 finishers.

"That's the defending MAC champion right there and they are looking to make another run at a MAC Championship," head coach Kelly Lycan said. "We saw some positive signs out here today. Hanne Christensen came back in really good shape and you can tell she will have a good season for us. Holly Blowers was in our top-5 as a freshman so that is good to see. Amy Littlefield has been training really well and I thought she had a very good race. Out of the that freshman group, there is some talent and I'm excited to see them mature as the season goes along."

Other finishers for WMU include Katie Menke in 17^th, Makenzie Evers 18^th, Sydney Del Valle 19^th, Abigail Shaver 20^th, Brittney Hall 22^nd, Daya Wagh 23^rd, Haley Ritsema 24^th, Mattie Goodwin 26^th, Emily Davis 27^th, Yadira Rodriguez 28^th and Autumn Lewis 29^th.

Last season, WMU's Maria McDaniel (did not race) won the 6k race with a time of 20:33.80 while EMU's McDermitt finished in second place with a time of 20:54.30. EMU came away with a win in 2015 by a score of 21-36.

WMU will take the next weekend off and head for the Spartan Invitational on Friday, Sept. 16 at noon in East Lansing, Mich.

Follow the Broncos on Twitter @WMU_TFXC for all updates about the team!