The St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Cross Country team competed at the 2015 NCAA DII National Championship on Saturday in Joplin, Missouri. This was the first-ever national championship appearance for the program following a standout season. The Spartans finished ranking 31st in the nation in Division II.
The Spartan team got off to a good start getting strong positioning early on. Sophomore Kristen Borriello and junior Meaghan Ventarola led the team, trading places throughout the course. While they battled in the middle off the pack, senior Gabriela Sloezen was not far behing. Borriello was the first to finish the 6K course, crossing the line in 22:33. Ventarola finished in 22:40. In the last cross country race of her career, Sloezen finished in 23:00. Juniors Katie O'Grady and Patricia Nersten were next for the Spartans clocking times of 24:10 and 24:24. This marked a personal best for Nersten. Senior Rebecca Fortoul also notched a 6K personal record coming in at 24:37 while classmate Cecelia Pfleging was the final Spartan finisher at 24:41. The team finished in 31st place.
Despite the cold and windy race day, the Spartan squad had a positive experience at the National Championship. "This team took our program to the next level. I couldn't be more proud of their accomplishments. They desereved to be here and I really cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed this year. They are a true team who ran with guts and heart. We will definitely miss the seniors who have given so much to St. Thomas Aquinas, but I know they will continue to find success wherever they go. As for the returners, I know they will continue to improve and use this season as motivation for the future," commented Head Coach Nicole Ballou.