EAST LANSING, Mich. (Oct. 1, 2022) – Led by another dominating performance by defending NCAA Division III cross country national champion Kassie Parker, the No. 18-ranked Loras College women's cross country team finished eighth out of 36 teams at the Pre-Nationals Meet at Forest Akers Golf Course as Parker led the way with a 23-second victory over the second-place runner in a preview of what the 2022 NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championship has in store come November.

Parker was just shy of her personal best and 6-kilometer school record mark she set at the 2021 championship, crossing the finish in 20:31.2 and besting Saint Benedict College's Fiona Smith in second (20:54.9). Brianna Renner was the next Duhawk to finish in 39^th, running 23:08.2 and Bailey Vaughan posted an excellent showing in her first pre-nationals meet with a time of 23:23.7 to finish 58th. Kaylee Osterberger finished 71st with a time of 23:36.1 and  Ellie Osterberger rounded out the scoring in 75th with a time of 23:41.4.

Marianne Gleason finished 99^th (24:06.3) and Erin Phelan finished 119th (24:24.8).

The No. 3 University of Chicago won the meet with 59 points followed by No. 7 Massachusetts Institute of Technology in second with 106 points and the No. 9-ranked University of Wisconsin-La Crosse took third with 118. Loras took eighth with 244 points.

Loras takes a week off from racing before heading to Augustana College on Saturday, Oct. 15. The women's race at Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill. is set to begin at 11 A.M.