EVANSVILLE, Ind. – WOW! That small three-letter word may be the best way to describe the three-runner performance of Chico State cross country athletes Tori Tyler, Kara Lubieniecki, and Alia Gray at the National Championships Saturday.
Tyler, Lubieniecki and Gray put together three of the top 13 NCAA Championship performances in Chico State history to earn All-America honors and to lead the Wildcats to a sixth-place finish. Tyler finished 27th, Lubieniecki 32nd, and Gray 34th as the trio made history by becoming just the second Chico State threesome to earn All-American honors in a season while leading the Wildcats to their 10th straight top-10 finish at the National Championships
“I am really proud of those three,” said Chico State Head Coach Gary Towne. “It was really cool to see Alia and Kara earn All-American awards after just missing out last season. And Tori never ceases to amaze me.”
Stephanie Consiglio, racing in a Chico State uniform for the first time in more than a month and the third time all season after fighting a series of illnesses and injuries, put together a valiant 51st-place finish. Shannon Rich finished 85th to cap the Wildcats’ scoring, while freshman Paige Henker finished in 113th place and senior Julie Shaw finished 156th.
With one more strong performance, the Wildcats could have brought home a fourth-place trophy. Only 21 points separated the Wildcats from fourth-place Seattle Pacific. Adams State edged runner-up Grand Valley State 73-81 for its seventh straight National title. Missouri Southern finished third with 104 points, and was followed by Seattle Pacific and third-time individual champion Jessica Pixler with 151 points, West Region Champion Alaska Anchorage with 158 points, and Chico State, with 172. Minnesota Duluth was well behind the Wildcats in seventh place with 294 points.
“This season the women’s race was just stacked. If you look at our point total, almost any other year we would have been in the top four,” said Towne. “We knew coming in that there were five or six teams that were head and shoulders above the rest.”
Tyler now has two of the top eight National Championship finishes in Chico State history. The senior finished in 16th place last season.
“What Tori did today was really amazing. She’s only been able to run three days since the Regional,” said Towne. “She’s been doing almost all her work in the pool. She spends more time in the training room every day than she does running. That was just a gutsy performance today.”
Tyler and Shaw will be lost to graduation, but the team’s future is looking very good with Lubieniecki, Gray, Consiglio, Rich, Henker, and the redshirting Shannon McVannel back to lead next season’s team, along with the team’s top recruit this year, redshirting freshman Olivia Guadiana.
“It’s not easy for anyone to come in here accomplish was Tori and Julie have, but I’m really excited about the future of this program,” said Towne. “We’re going to be solid for years to come.”
COMPLETE RACE RESULTS
