Washington University Men’s Cross Country Team and Lucy Cheadle Earn Trips to 2012 NCAA Championships

St. Louis, Mo., November 11, 2012 – The Washington University in St. Louis men’s cross country team was selected as an at-large qualifier for the 2012 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships to be held Saturday, Nov. 17, at LaVern Gibson Course in Terre Haute, Ind. In addition, sophomore Lucy Cheadle will represent the Washington U. women as an individual at the Championships.

The Washington University men’s team finished third at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships Saturday to be selected for the at-large berth. The top-two teams from each regional earned automatic bids to the National Championships, while 16 additional teams were selected as at-large qualifiers. Wheaton College and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, who finished fourth and fifth at the Midwest Regional, also received at-large selections to the Cross Country Championships. A year ago, the Washington University men posted their highest finish in school history, placing third at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships.

Cheadle placed second overall at the Midwest Regional, claiming a qualifying spot for the NCAA Championships as one of the top-seven runners in the Regional whose team did not qualify for the national championships. Last year, she finished 20th overall at the NCAA Championships to earn All-America honors as a freshman.