TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For just the sixth time in school history, and the second year in a row, both Washington cross-country teams placed in the top 20 on Saturday at the NCAA Championships.
The fourth-ranked women had hoped to contend for the title but instead finished 11th. Mel Smart placed 12th and was the top freshman finisher in the NCAAs.
The UW men placed 19th, competing without their top two runners.
Smart and senior Katie Rainsberger both earned All-America honors, the first for Smart and the fourth for Rainsberger, who finished 33rd. Smart covered the 6,000 meters in 20:24 and Rainsberger finished in 20:41.