Women's Cross Country | 11/7/2015 4:55:00 PM

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women's cross country team earns its third consecutive trip to the NCAA national championship meet Saturday, as the Bulldogs finished second in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional meet at the WU Cross Country facility. The Bulldogs posted 108 points. The University of Montevallo (Ala.) takes home the team hardware with 30 points (individual results; team results).
 
"I am proud of the way our women executed their race today," Wingate head cross country coach Ashley Vaughn Glover says. "Our team recognized our situation…and they raced today with purpose."
 
Wingate was missing juniors Alyssa Johnson (San Jose, Calif.) and Ashley Hinderer (Uniontown, Ohio) due to injuries. The Bulldogs were undaunted, as Wingate placed three runners in the top 14. Redshirt freshman Sydney Lautzenheiser (North Canton, Ohio) led the way with her 6K time of 23:50.8. She claimed 11th place.
 
Wingate senior Samantha Haering (Chalfont, Pa.) and junior Morgan Neher (Sedalia, Colo.) were 12th (23:52.8) and 14th (23:54.8), respectively. Lautzenheiser, Haering and Neher earn All-Southeast Region honors with their performances Saturday.
 
Sophomore Madison Hiatt (Fresno, Calif.) was Wingate's next finisher with her 6K time of 24:37.0. She finished in 31st place. Classmate Juliet Salgueiro (Savannah, Ga.) was nine spots behind Hiatt in 40th place, thanks to her 6K posting of 24:51.0.
 
Nationally-ranked Montevallo had five runners in the top 10 to take the team title. Queens University of Charlotte was third, claiming the final team berth for the NCAA national meet. Queens senior Catie Byrd (Zirconia, N.C.) followed up her SAC individual championship with a regional title, as she crossed the finish line with a 6K time of 22:25.3.
 
Wingate will compete in the NCAA Division II national championship meet Saturday, Nov. 21 in Joplin, Mo. Missouri Southern State University hosts this year's event at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. Wingate is making its third consecutive team trip to nationals and its fifth overall. The Bulldogs are visiting Joplin for the second time as a team and third time total, as alum Keeley Wood (Sanford, N.C.) visited Joplin as an individual in 2012.
 
Wingate women's XC
NCAA history
 
Team participation
2004 – Evansville, Ind.
2007 – Joplin, Mo.
2013 – Spokane, Wash.
2014 – Louisville, Ky.
2015 – Joplin, Mo.
 
Individual participation (site)
2003 – Natalie Creech Topper (Cary, N.C.)
2006 – Amber Hines (Pensacola, Fla.)
2012 – Keeley Wood (Joplin, Mo.)