From University of Chicago Athletics

The University of Chicago women's cross country squad posted a solid finish in one of the most competitive meets of the year in Saturday's Principia Cowbell Classic – also known as Pre-Nationals – Saturday in at the North Farm Cross Country Facility in Elsah, Illinois.

Senior Khia Kurtenbach led the No. 6 women's team to an eighth-place overall finish, as she earned runner-up honors in the 332-runner race, finishing the 6-kilometer event in a time of 21 minutes, 22 seconds. The overall winner came from Ithaca, as Taryn Cordani cross the line first in 20:45 to earn medalist honors.

The Maroons saw all seven runners place in the Top 75, as Cassidy McPherson was the next finisher in 42^nd (23:03), followed by the tight pack of Kelsey Dunn (58^th place, 23:13), Claire Costelloe (64^th, 23:19), Claire Brockway (68^th place, 23:23), Maggie Boudreau (69^th place, 23:23) and Lucy Kenig-Ziesler (72^nd place, 23:24).

That pack running helped UChicago place in the Top 10 in a race that featured 14 of the Top 35 teams in the latest United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III poll – and six of the Top 10.

Top-ranked Johns Hopkins won the team race with 74 points, third-ranked Massachusetts Institute of Technology was second and fourth-ranked SUNY Geneso took third in the 36-team event.

UChicago Women's Cross Country Top Finishers
Khia Kurtenbach – 2^nd place, 21:22
Cassidy McPherson – 42^nd place, 23:03
Kelsey Dunn – 58^th place, 23:13
Claire Costelloe – 64^th place, 23:19
Claire Brockway – 68^th place, 23:23
Maggie Boudreau, 69^th place, 23:23
Lucy Kenig-Ziesler, 72^nd place, 23:24