Xavier cross country ends successful season

The women's and men's cross country teams made history this past weekend at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional cross country meet. The women's team came in
13th place out of 32 teams, which is their highest placing ever. At the same time the men's team came in 19th place out of 30 teams. Leading the women's team was junior Clare Fischer, who came in 38th place with a time of 21:22 in the 6k race. Not too far behind Fischer was her twin sister, junior Abby Fischer, who came in 61st place
with a time of 21:43. Coming in just 16 seconds later was sophomore Chelsea Hoffmaster, who came in 79th
place with a time of 21:59. Shortly after Hoffmaster were
juniors Jessica Albers and Anna Ahlrichs. Albers came in 94th with a time of 22:10 and Ahlrichs ran a 22:36, which was good for 124th. Last season the women's team placed 16th at the regional meet and with most of the varsity runners returning they look to improve upon their already historic result. Michigan won the team race, who was ranked sixth in the country in the last national coaches poll. Michigan State, who was ranked 11th, was second in the race. The Musketeers finished ahead of both Dayton and Cincinnati. Michigan, Michigan State, Butler, Notre Dame and Toledo all qualified for NCAA nationals in Louisville, Ky. On the men's side, the team was lead by junior Tom Ohlman who placed 20th in the 10k race with a
time of 31:40. Ohlman won his first ever all-region honors by being in the top 25 of the race. Next for the men's side was senior Hank Geer, who finished in 45th place with a time of 32:15. Geer's time placed him at eighth on the all-time 10k for the program. Fellow senior Ben Foley came
in after Geer just over a minute later with a time of 33:31. Foley came in 115th place in his final cross country race.
Junior Spencer Liechty and freshman Austin Winter ounded
out the top-five for Xavier. Liechty finished in 142nd with a
time of 34:15, and Winter came in 162nd with a time of 34:43. Wisconsin, a national powerhouse, won the meet with a score of 43 points. Wisconsin is ranked sixth in the nation and is expected to be a contender at the national
cross country meet. Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Michigan State and Notre Dame all qualified for nationals.
Neither the men's nor women's teams qualified for the national cross country meet so the teams' cross country seasons are over. Both teams will finally have some much-needed rest before they begin their indoor track season.