KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan cross country team is set to compete at the MAC Championships this weekend. Buffalo is hosting the league meet at the Audubon Golf Course. The women's 6K is set for 12 PM.
LAST TIME OUT
The Brown and Gold placed seventh as a team, with all five runners in the scoring lineup placing in the top 70.
Lily Overton led the way with a ninth-place finish. It was her third top-10 finish of the season.
Kaelin Hughes and
Madison Zarembski were next to cross the finish line, as they placed 41st and 59th, respectively.
LAST YEAR'S EVENT
The Broncos finished sixth as a team and had
Lillian Zelasko earn Second Team All-MAC honors. It was the third time in program history and first time since 1991 that the Western Michigan cross country team had gone three straight years with at least one All-MAC performer.
Zelasko became the fifth member of the program to be named All-Conference in the last three years, joining Makayla Perez, Kayla Schiera (x2) and Danielle Rinn. Zelasko placed ninth in last year's race.
Grace Aurand and
Brooke Soper were also strong for WMU, placing in the top 40.
PR PALOOZA
Western Michigan has had strong depth throughout the season, with
Lily Overton leading the way. The junior runner has a PR in every meet so far this season, including a 6K PR time of 20:51.9 in her last meet. Additionally, she's been WMU's top runner in all four races so far this season.
However, Overton isn't the only one having a career year.
Rebekah Asselin,
Ava Kurczewski,
Larissa McGrath and
Madison Zarembski have all posted multiple PR times this season. In WMU's last meet, the Bradley Pink Classic, that quartet all finished the race with personal-best times.
AMONG THE REGION'S BEST
After starting the year unranked in the region, Western Michigan has elevated itself into one of the best teams in the area. In the latest rankings, the Broncos checked in at No. 13 in the Great Lakes Region.
The Brown and Gold are one of just five MAC teams ranked. WMU is joined by Ohio, Toledo, Bowling Green and Miami. The Broncos have been ranked in nearly every poll this season.
WHO'S COMPETING? (Denotes PR)
Rebekah Asselin (22:34.5)
Lily Baibak (23:07.1)
Emma Henkel (22:39.2)
Kaelin Hughes (21:30.4)
Ava Kurczewski (21:52.5)
Lara Machado Pereira (21:40.4)
Larissa McGrath (22:05.1)
Lily Overton (20:51.9)
Lauren Sancrant (22:01.5)
Madison Zarembski (21:43.2)
