For the first time in 21 years, the Kansas University women’s cross country team earned a spot at the NCAA Championships. The Jayhawks learned Saturday they had earned one of 13 at-large selections following their fifth-place finish at the Midwest Regional in Lawrence.
The NCAA meet will be held on Nov. 21 in Louisville, Kentucky.
The KU women will make their first appearance at the national championships since 1994, when the Jayhawks earned an automatic bid following their win at the regional championships. That squad went on to finish 18th at the NCAA meet.
This year’s squad is led by freshman Sharon Lokedi, who had already punched her ticket as an individual via her third-place finish at the regional meet, which marked the highest finish by a KU female at the event since 1994. Lokedi has already turned out several highlights this season, earning All-Region and All-Big 12 honors, notching a victory at the Rim Rock Classic on Oct. 3 and claiming a fourth-place finish at the Pre-National meet on Oct. 17, which was held on the same course that will host the national meet next weekend.
Senior Evan Landes was the lone Jayhawk to qualify from the men’s squad after he earned an individual at-large selection.
Landes earned a bid to his first NCAA Championship meet following his ninth place finish at regionals Friday.
The University of Louisville will host the NCAA championships next Saturday at Tom Sawyer State Park.
