SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Lewis University repeated as Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Women's Cross Country Champions Saturday, Oct. 26 on the UIS Cross Country Course in Springfield, Illinois.
It was a record setting day for the fifth-ranked Flyers set a conference championship record for lowest points scored with 15, the lowest possible to score in a cross country championship. Lewis claimed their sixth league title thanks to nine runners finishing in the top 10, besting second-place Southwest Baptist University by a league championship record 62 points.
Southwest Baptist accumulated 77 points, besting third-place Truman State University that scored 82 points for third. Hosts University of Illinois Springfield (98) and Maryville University (162) rounded out the top five. Drury University and its 184 points was good for sixth place with Rockhurst University was behind the Panthers in seventh with 200 points.
Rounding out the rest of the field was Missouri S&T (248), University of Missouri-St. Louis (265), University of Indianapolis (309), the newest members to the GLVC, Lincoln University (321), McKendree University (360), Quincy University (368), and Upper Iowa University (422). William Jewell College did not score.
Individually, Lewis senior Hannah Smrcka crossed the line first in a 6,000-meter time of 20:53.42 to become the 15th Flyer to be crowned champion, eighth back-to-back champion, and ninth multiple-time champion.
Caroline Pacer-Ryan (21:02.51), Sarah May (21:09.06), Abbey Kozak (21:12.21), Josephine Bober (21:15.12), Anna Kozak (21:31.05), and Kate Guderjan (21:31.13) assisted Smrcka in completing the first sweep at a GLVC Cross Country Championships.
Illinois Springfield junior Maddie Miller (21:33.82) was the only not Flyer in the top 10. Lewis’s senior Naylah Allen (21:36.49), and sophomore Mary Edwards (21:39.76) completed the Flyers' top 10 finishers. Southwest Baptist sophomore Kiersten Potter (21:45.71) was 11th and Truman State senior Lexy Henrikson (21:48.34) placed 12th, while 13th-15th respectively went to Truman State senior Addie Mathis (21:51.29), Southwest Baptist’s senior Olivia Littleton (21:54.88), and freshman Natalie Gerdes (21:56.72). The next five finishers respectively rounded out the top-20, All-Conference honorees, including Illinois Springfield junior Kaliegh Inniss (22:08.71), Maryville sophomore Lyric Ford (22:10.23), Drury junior Josie Diffendaffer (22:14.45), Southwest Baptist sophomore Lily Hunsucker (22:14.94), and Truman State junior Kate Yates (22:16.77).
At the conclusion of the GLVC Championship, Smrcka was named GLVC Runner of the Year, while Natalie Gerdes of Southwest Baptist was named GLVC Freshman of the Year as the league's top newcomer. Gerdes is just the second Bearcats runner to win the honor after Tessa Valdvia was the first in 2019. Lewis head coach James Kearney was honored by his peers as GLVC Coach of the Year for his third-straight accolade on the women's side, which is the eighth time a Lewis mentor has been selected.
After the race, 15 student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior were also named as their sport's GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honoree. These individuals must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. The honorees are now eligible to become one of their school's two Spalding Sportsmanship Award winners, which will be announced at the end of the academic year.
For the fourth time in league history, the GLVC Championship was carried live on the GLVC Sports Network (GLVCSN). The broadcast can be found in the "On Demand" section on all GLVCSN platforms, including GLVCSN.com, GLVCSN iOS and Android mobile apps, as well as GLVCSN OTT platforms on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Android TV.
2024 GLVC POSTSEASON AWARDS
GLVC CHAMPION/RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Hannah Smrcka, Lewis
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Natalie Gerdes, Southwest Baptist
COACH OF THE YEAR: James Kearney, Lewis
ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES (in order of top-20 finish)
Hannah Smrcka, LEWIS
Caroline Pacer-Ryan, LEWIS
Sarah May, LEWIS
Abbey Kozak, LEWIS
Josephine Bober, LEWIS
Anna Kozak, LEWIS
Kate Guderjan, LEWIS
Maddie Miller, UIS
Naylah Allen, LEWIS
Mary Edwards, LEWIS
Kiersten Potter, SBU
Lexy Henrikson, TSU
Addie Mathis, TSU
Olivia Littleton, SBU
Natalie Gerdes, SBU
Kaleigh Inniss, UIS
Lyric Ford, MU
Josie Diffendaffer, DU
Lily Hunsucker, SBU
Kate Yates, TSU
2024 GLVC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Josie Diffendaffer, DU
Marissa Roggensack, UIS
Emma Gaston, UINDY
Kate Guderjan, LEWIS
Maria Diamond, LiU
Emma Neal, MU
Chloe Gough, MCK
Mary Kimmerle, S&T
Ella Tynan, UMSL
Katie Park, QU
Mary O’Connor, RU
Olivia Littleton, SBU
Lydia Lehmbeck, TSU
Genevieve Chenoweth, UIU
Charlotte Vickers, WJC
2024 GLVC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY JAMES R. SPALDING SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM AWARD WINNER
Southwest Baptist