Valby runs 18:55.2 at Panorama Farms to become first Florida athlete to win Division 1 cross country crown; North Carolina State overcomes obstacles and strong Northern Arizona lineup to triumph by 123-124 margin to become first women’s team since Stanford in 2005-07 to win three in a row

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

EARLYSVILLE, Va. – It was clear from the outset of the women’s 6-kilometer final that Florida star Parker Valby had no interest in finishing runner-up for the second year in a row at the NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships.

And despite having its lineup compromised in several ways before and during the race at the Panorama Farms Course, North Carolina State wasn’t going to accept anything less than a third consecutive national title.

INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS by John Nepolitan | PHOTOS by Carol Chen | PHOTOS by Micah Thornton

With 13-time All-American Kelsey Chmiel relegated to walking on crutches Saturday and unable to compete after an MRI revealed Wednesday significant swelling in her lower leg after suffering an injury during the past month, reigning individual champion Katelyn Tuohy battling illness to finish fifth, Amaris Tyynismaa completing her first race of the season in 25th place after two unsuccessful attempts during the past month and the Wolfpack relying on the contributions of three freshmen, North Carolina State managed to overcome all the obstacles to triumph again.

The Wolfpack had five athletes in the top 65, including Samantha Bush, Tuohy and Tyynismaa earning All-America honors, to edge Northern Arizona by a 123-124 margin, becoming the first women’s program since Stanford from 2005-07 to capture three consecutive crowns.

It marked the closest women’s team finish since Oregon held off Michigan with a 125-126 victory in 2016 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.

And it was also significant that North Carolina State emerged victorious after the Wolfpack endured a 97-99 setback to Oregon in 1987, the last time the Division 1 championship meet was held in Virginia.

After Tuohy rallied past Valby to capture the title last year at the Greiner Family Course in Stillwater, the Florida competitor established an eight-second advantage at the 2-kilometer mark and never looked back to become the first Gators’ athlete to capture a cross country national championship in 18 minutes, 55.2 seconds, eclipsing the all-time course mark at Panorama Farms – previously held by the North Carolina State standout at 19:09.9 – and leading her team to a fifth-place performance with 268 points.

Valby, a three-time cross country All-American and reigning outdoor 5,000-meter national champion, completed an unbeaten fall season with her fourth victory, becoming the first female athlete in Division 1 championship history to eclipse the 19-minute barrier since the distance in the final race was extended to a 6-kilometer competition in 2000.

Doris Lemngole, a freshman at Alabama representing Kenya, also ran faster than the previous course record to secure second in 19:05.7 in her NCAA finals debut. Hilda Olemomoi, a fellow Kenyan and her Alabama teammate, was fourth in 19:22.1 to help the Crimson Tide earn seventh as a team with 314 points.

Flomena Asekol, a former Alabama standout, secured sixth for Florida in 19:26.9 to support Valby.

Olivia Markezich, a four-time Division 1 cross country All-American, took third for Notre Dame in 19:10.0, leading the Irish to the program’s first podium finish since 2004 with a fourth-place performance at 237 points.

Tuohy clocked 19:23.0, Tyynismaa achieved 25th in 19:55.3 after not completing the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships or Southeast Regional races, Bush took 28th in 20:00.7, with Leah Stephens grabbing 43rd in 20:08.2 and fellow freshman Grace Hartman clocking 20:24.4 to earn 63rd for the Wolfpack, only the third women’s team in Division 1 history to three-peat, joining Stanford and Villanova.

Northern Arizona achieved the best all-time finish for the women’s program, improving on a third-place effort in 1991, with Gracelyn Larkin (19:35.6) taking 13th, Annika Reiss (19:36.8) capturing 15th and Elise Stearns (19:52.2) securing 20th to earn All-America recognition.

Ruby Smee (20:15.1) was 54th and Ali Upshaw (20:16.6) placed 57th for the Lumberjacks, who cut a projected 12-point deficit at the 4-kilometer mark to an eight-point gap entering the final 1,000 meters, but Northern Arizona was unable to complete the comeback after producing a 52-95 victory Oct. 13 against North Carolina State at the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational.

Oklahoma State relied on All-America performances from seventh-place finisher Billah Jepkirui of Kenya, who clocked 19:27.5, along with Molly Born taking 21st in 19:53.8 and Taylor Roe achieving 34th in 20:04.7 to produce a program-best third-place finish by taking third with 156 points.

Born was one of four female athletes who competed at the 2018 Division 1 final in Wisconsin racing Saturday, along with Brigham Young’s Aubrey Frentheway, also an All-American in 14th in 19:36.5.

Gabija Galvydyte, a Lithuanian athlete, was 48th in 20:12.5 and Cayden Dawson grabbed 100th in 20:41.0 for Oklahoma State, which finished fourth at home last year at the Greiner Family Course in Stillwater.

Notre Dame also had graduate student-athlete Andrea Markezich place 35th in 20:05.4 and senior Erin Strzelecki secure 37th in 20:06.2, joining Olivia Markezich as All-Americans for the Irish.

Georgetown’s Chloe Scrimgeour earned eighth in 19:28.4, Dutch athlete Amina Maatoug took ninth for Duke in 19:29.9, New Zealand competitor Maia Ramsden finished 10th for Harvard in 19:30.8, Arkansas standout Sydney Thorvaldson achieved 11th in 19:33.8 and Oregon State graduate student-athlete Kaylee Mitchell captured 12th in 19:34.1.

Gonzaga’s Rosina Machu (19:37.7) secured 16th, Lithuanian competitor Greta Karinauskaite (19:39.4) placed 17th for Cal Baptist, Juliet Cherubet of Texas Tech was 18th in 19:40.1 and fellow Kenyan athlete Judy Kosgei from South Carolina earned 19th in 19:41.5.

Tennessee, despite not having an All-American in its lineup, secured sixth place with 294 points. Washington earned eighth at 323 points, Arkansas took ninth with 325 points and Oregon grabbed 10th at 335 points. Lipscomb placed 11th in its Division 1 championship meet debut with 353 points.