VANESSA JONES/ Webster Athletics
Kalleigh Linthicum finished her season having set multiple personal-best records.
By Kyle Goessler
Contributing Writer
Webster University women’s cross country had its highest finish in school history in an NCAA Regional meet on Nov. 16. The Gorloks placed 18th out of 35 teams at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Championships.
Junior Kalleigh Linthicum finished first for the Gorloks placing 54th overall, a school-record finish in a National Collegiate Athletic Association Midwest Regional meet.
“We went into this season knowing the goal was regionals and all of out training Coach Graber gave us would lead to a great finish at regionals and we were very determined and strong-willed team, give us a goal and we will go for it,” Linthicum said.
Head cross country coach Dan Graber said he was pleased with how Linthicum and Kaitlin Higgins ran at the regional meet.
“Kalleigh and Kaitlin ran great,” Graber said. “Kalleigh wasn’t even in the top 100 last year and finished in the top 60, and Kaitlin finished 60th.”
Webster University men’s cross country had their second-best finish in school history at regionals as the Gorloks placed 23rd out of 36 teams.
“The Midwest Regional is extremely tough in cross country because of schools like the University of Chicago, Washington University and North Central. On the men’s side Nathan Freyling really went for it and put himself in a position early to be in contention for all-region,” Graber said. “He was our second-highest finisher in history at a regional meet.”
Nathan Freyling led the way for the men’s team, finishing 79th overall out of 252 in a competitive meet.
My personal goal going in was to try to get top 50 in the region which would be great.
“I knew I had to have my best race of the season so I started out strong and ran the best I could, but I just didn’t have it in my legs that day,” Freyling said. “Overall, I was content with my performance because I gave it everything I had, but I know I could have done better.”
Graber was very happy with the way both teams performed during the season and during the regional meet.
“I thought the season went very well,” Graber said. “We had one of our closest knit teams that really helped when we dealt with adversity this season.”
The team had a lot of injuries this season, but were supportive and cared for their teammates, according to Graber.
“We were able to get through those moments and be at our best in the championship meets,” Graber said.
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