2024 WIAC Women's Cross Country Championship Preview

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will look for a fourth straight first-place finish at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Cross Country Championship (presented by Culver’s). The 46th edition of the conference meet will be hosted by UW-Stevens Point at Wisconsin River Golf Club in Stevens Point, Wis., on Nov. 2. The women’s race will begin at noon and be followed by the men’s competition at 1:00 p.m.
 
UW-La Crosse claimed the 12th conference title in program archives a season ago with 29 points to exceed UW-Eau Claire’s second-place total of 46 points. UW-Whitewater took third with 115 points, UW-Stout fourth with 115, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 120, UW-Stevens Point sixth with 176, UW-Platteville seventh with 183 and UW-River Falls eighth with 207.
 
UW-Oshkosh leads WIAC schools with 16 titles, while UW-Eau Claire has 11 and UW-Stevens Point two. Former members Marquette University and UW-Madison collected three and one, respectively.
 
A pair of teams are ranked among the best in NCAA Division III based on Oct. 23 rankings distributed by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. UW-La Crosse is 14th, while UW-Stout is 20th.
 
Returning runners that secured All-WIAC recognition from 2023 include: UW-Eau Claire’s Keeley Behr (ninth); UW-La Crosse’s Katelyn Chadwick (third), Madelynn McIntyre (sixth), Kylie Trousil (11th), Gwen Hinz (13th), and Sierra Rabe (14th); UW-Oshkosh’s Cyna Madigan (12th) and Josie Makurat (19th); UW-Platteville’s Hannah Fliss (15th); UW-Stevens Point’s Rachel Krouse (fifth); UW-Stout’s Mckayla Felton (fourth); and UW-Whitewater’s Katie Erb (16th) and Ari De La Cerda (17th).
 
Chadwick (fourth), Krouse (seventh), De La Cerda (11th) and Behr (20th) added all-conference accolades at the 2022 championship. The foursome was joined by UW-Oshkosh’s Amelia Lehman (third) and Libby Geisness (18th), UW-Stout’s Arely Jaime Luevano (13th), and UW-Whitewater’s Payton Scoggin (19th).
 
At the 2021 championship, Krouse (fourth), Madigan (ninth), McIntyre (12th) and Chadwick (20th) received all-conference plaudits.
 
The top seven runners in the 6,000-meter race will receive All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eighth through 14th earn All-WIAC second team accolades. Individuals finishing 15th through 20th claim honorable mention status.
 

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