Orange City, Iowa — Three members of the Northwestern College women’s cross country team earned a spot and qualified to compete at the upcoming 2021 NAIA National Championship. The 41st annual event will be held on April 9 at the Seminole Valley Cross Country Course in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Anna Hiebner, Hunter Koepke and Autumn Muilenburg are three of the 98 individuals to qualify and will join 36 teams at next week’s championship. All three Raiders earned a place at nationals by finishing among the top 15 at last fall’s GPAC Championship; Hiebner placed eighth and will compete in her first championship, Koepke 11th and will run in her second national championship while Muilenburg, who placed 12th at the GPAC, will compete for the third time at nationals.
Northwestern will be send runners to compete at nationals for the fifth straight year and for the 17th time overall. Coaches Scott Bahrke Carrie Krohn had individuals qualify both in 2018 and 2019; 2017 was the last time Northwestern qualified as a team.
The Great Plains Athletic Conference qualified two teams, Dordt and Morningside, and six individuals (3 Northwestern runners and 3 from Hastings).
