Orange City, Iowa — Dordt University won the 2021 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) women’s cross country championship run Saturday at the Landsmeer Golf Club in Orange City, Iowa.
The Defenders claimed their second consecutive and eighth conference title in the last 10 years in one of the more successful stretches by any athletic team. The last five GPAC championships won by the Defenders have been under current Head Coach Nate Wolf.
Dordt totaled 54 points and had all seven of its counters place among the top 20. Nine Defenders finished in the top 25 and all 10 were among the fastest 35 runners in today’s race. With the win, Dordt receives one of the two automatic bids into the NAIA National Championship that will take place in Vancouver, Wash. on Nov. 19.
Hastings was second with 77 points and earns the second automatic bid into the NAIA Championship. Morningside finished third (79pts) and Doane fourth (105pts).
Jessica Kampman finished second and was the GPAC runner-up, completing the 5K course in a time of 19:04. Kampman, now a two-time all-conference runner, has five top 10 finishes this season.
Margaret Myskowski was the Defenders No.2 runner and placed 10th overall with a time of 19:30, earning all-conference honors for the first time. Eden Winslow, the GPAC runner-up in 2020, finished 11th with a time of 19:30 and earned all-conference honors for the third time. Taylor Anema placed 15th (19:40) and is now a two-time all-conference recipient after winning the GPAC title last year.
Anika Homan (16th – 19:47), Bethany Ten Haken (17th – 19:52), Lucy Borkowski (19th – 20:01), Brenna Tolkamp (22nd – 20:10) and Elyse Kuperus (32nd – 20:32) also competed for the Defenders in today’s race.
Shania Santos, a freshman from Hastings, was the individual champion with a time of 18:45.
NEXT UP
The Defenders will compete at the NAIA National Cross Country Championship on Friday, Nov. 19 in Vancouver, Wash.
