ST. PAUL, Minn. – The No. 10-ranked Carleton College women's cross country team put four runners inside the top-5 and captured the team title at the MIAC Cross Country Championships. This is the Knights' 12th MIAC crown overall, and they have won 7-of the last-9 MIAC team titles and 11-of the last-18.
 
"This is the deepest pool of talent that we have seen on the Carleton's women's team in my 30 years of coaching," said head coach Donna Ricks. "I've consistently talked about this team's work ethic. They are mentally and physically strong and continue to take away positives from each practice and meet throughout the season in which they can apply to the next. This was a total team effort and coaching effort; I am grateful for this team and my assistant coach Laura Albares."
 
Carleton tallied a final score of 27, the fourth-lowest winning team score in MIAC Championships history, ranking behind only the Knights' 21-point effort in 2017, St. Thomas' 22 score of 22 in 1984, and Carleton's 25-point showing in 2019.
 
On Saturday, the Knights prevailed over No. 9-ranked St. Olaf College, which had a score of 42. The No. 30 Saint Benedict featured individual champion Fiona Smith but came in a distant third place with a final score of 88 with Macalester (141) and Gustavus (146) rounding out the top 5.
 
Clara Mayfield (Jr./Manhattan, Kan./Manhattan) was the first Carleton runner to finish, placing second overall with a time of 21:42.76.
 
The Knights had three more runners cross the finish line consecutively. Hannah Preisser (Fy./Chapel Hill, N.C./Carrboro) finished with a time of 22:15.46, Sophie McManus (So./McCall, Idaho/McCall-Donnelly) ended at 22:53.86, and Phoebe Ward (Jr./Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) covered the 6-kilometer course in 22:57.91. The trio came in third, fourth, and fifth places, respectively.
 
Helen Cross (Jr./Nederland, Colo./Nederland) was the final scorer for the Knights,  coming in 13th overall with a time of 23:27.96. Libby Rowland (So./Tulsa, Okla./Holland Hall) came in right after her, to finish 14th at 23:36.42 and join her five previous teammates in taking home All-MIAC distinction.
 
Mary Blanchard (Jr./Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell) and Aliya Larsen (Fy./Newport, Ore./Newport) took home all-conference honorable mention as they placed 18th and 19th, respectively, with times of 23:56.2 and 23:58.0. Overall, Carleton had eight runners inside the top 20 in a field of 181 total runners.
 
"I think we often take for granted having Clara run up front," said Ricks. "Then we have a first-year Hannah running third in the conference, and Sophie and Phoebe have really made a difference. It's crazy how good they have gotten. Helen Cross was injured this summer, so we were gearing her to be ready for this meet, and she stepped up and ran fifth for us. Libby Rowland sprained her ankle last week, but she's unflappable.  Then Mary and Alyia… I don't know how to express how amazing these women are, what a joy to coach this team." 
 
Up Next for the Knights
Carleton will travel across the Cannon River to square off against St. Olaf, who will host the annual Great Karhu Shoe Race on Thursday, Nov. 3.
 
"I'm excited for Karhu this year as we have changed the distance to a 5K, and our athletes will have an opportunity to challenge their high school personal bests," Ricks said.