University of St. Thomas Athletics
Saturday, November 2
Vermillion, S.D. / Bluffs Golf Course
vs
Summit League Championships
Women finish third at Summit League Championship
11/2/2024 3:16:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Weeks named Scholar of the Championship, Desotell and Pankratz earn all-league honors
VERMILLION, S.D. -- The St. Thomas women's cross country team secured the program's first podium finish of the NCAA Division I era Saturday after finishing third at the 2024 Summit League Championships in Vermillion, S.D. Tony Weeks was named the Men's Scholar of the Championship as part of the championship meet awards.
Seniors Molly Desotell and Ava Pankratz finished among the top 14 of the women's 6,000-meter race to secure All-Summit League Second Team honors, the fifth and sixth all-league honors for the Tommies since joining the league in 2021. Desotell placed 10th with a time of 21:24.68, finishing her cross country career with three all-league second team honors and one first team honor. Pankratz took 14th in 21:38.04 for her first career all-league honor.
Elsie Kmecak also placed among the top 20 for the women with a personal record time of 21:58.36. Freshmen Olivia Pauly and Sophie Yetter finished top 30, led by Pauly in 26th in a personal best 22:15.54 with Yetter in 29th in 22:21.93.
Sean McNiesh paced the Tommie men with a 20th-place finish in 25:14.51 followed by Adam Lueth in 30th with a time of 25:41.01. Freshman Kai Liljequist came in 36th in 25:55.31 while Weeks placed 40th in 26:06.67.
QUOTEABLES
Thoughts from women's head coach Ashley Lucas:
"Today is a great day to be a Tommie! I am so unbelievably proud of this team. It was truly a team effort today from the women who raced, to the women who drove out to support, to the women cheering on from St. Paul. Every point mattered to get us that third place finish that we have been building and working toward. Special shout out to our seniors who bought into the vision when we were making the transition into Division I. They will have forever left their mark on this program."
Thoughts from men's head coach Pete Wareham:
"The Summit League was strong this year and we knew it would be a tough battle. Given a few injuries this year, we needed to rely on freshmen to play an important role. Kai Liljequist and Blake Burnstad are two freshmen who were very important today. We look to get healthy as a group, add experience and continue to develop individually and as a group."
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Cross Country, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieXCTF. For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Cross Country, follow along on Instagram at @tommiemtfxc and @tommiewxctf
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Seniors Molly Desotell and Ava Pankratz finished among the top 14 of the women's 6,000-meter race to secure All-Summit League Second Team honors, the fifth and sixth all-league honors for the Tommies since joining the league in 2021. Desotell placed 10th with a time of 21:24.68, finishing her cross country career with three all-league second team honors and one first team honor. Pankratz took 14th in 21:38.04 for her first career all-league honor.
Elsie Kmecak also placed among the top 20 for the women with a personal record time of 21:58.36. Freshmen Olivia Pauly and Sophie Yetter finished top 30, led by Pauly in 26th in a personal best 22:15.54 with Yetter in 29th in 22:21.93.
Sean McNiesh paced the Tommie men with a 20th-place finish in 25:14.51 followed by Adam Lueth in 30th with a time of 25:41.01. Freshman Kai Liljequist came in 36th in 25:55.31 while Weeks placed 40th in 26:06.67.
QUOTEABLES
Thoughts from women's head coach Ashley Lucas:
"Today is a great day to be a Tommie! I am so unbelievably proud of this team. It was truly a team effort today from the women who raced, to the women who drove out to support, to the women cheering on from St. Paul. Every point mattered to get us that third place finish that we have been building and working toward. Special shout out to our seniors who bought into the vision when we were making the transition into Division I. They will have forever left their mark on this program."
Thoughts from men's head coach Pete Wareham:
"The Summit League was strong this year and we knew it would be a tough battle. Given a few injuries this year, we needed to rely on freshmen to play an important role. Kai Liljequist and Blake Burnstad are two freshmen who were very important today. We look to get healthy as a group, add experience and continue to develop individually and as a group."
FOLLOW ALONG
For more information on St. Thomas Cross Country, follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @TommieXCTF. For more information on St. Thomas Men's and Women's Cross Country, follow along on Instagram at @tommiemtfxc and @tommiewxctf
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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