Cardin Places 36th at NCAA Championships
November 18, 2017
WESTFIELD, Mass. - Westfield State University's senior Jessie Cardin (Sutton, Mass.) finished in 36th place at the 2017 NCAA Division III NCAA women's cross country Championship meet hosted by Principia College in Elsah, Illinois Saturday.
Cardin receives All-America honors in cross country for the second time in her career, as the top 40 runners are awarded All-America status.
Cardin traversed the 6k course in a time of 21:33.
"I didn't feel an ounce of nerves, usually I am jittery and full of anticipation but I felt as ease knowing it was my last race" Cardin explained, "I just wanted to leave it all on the course."
Cardin ran forwardly in the race, racing just behind the lead pack, checking in in 36th place at the first mile split, 28th at the two-mile split in 11:32, and 29th at the three-mile split in 17:27.
"Going into this race I was excited to have made it, I felt that way ever since I made it as a sophomore" Cardin explained, "Based on last year, being sick, I was just happy to have made it one last time."
The University of Chicago's Khia Kurtenbach won the race with a final time of 20:39.20, a six-second gap over her closest competitor.
"It was a cold, dark, raw, day, and running on a tough course her experience definitely came in hand," head cross country coach Bill Devine stated. "She was smart, and finishing at 21:33 is a PR for her this year, and perhaps a PR for her career."
Cardin was making her third-straight appearance at the national championship meet after earning All-America honors in 2015 by finishing 20th in her sophomore year, and 88th her junior year finishing in a time of 21:52.
Thirty-two teams and 250 total runners contested the race. Cardin finished eighth among runners from the New England region today, after she had qualified as an individual for the championship meet after placing 15th individually at the NCAA Division III New England Regional Championships last weekend.
Runners dealt with cool temperatures and gusty 20 mph winds throughout the race. Fortunately the predicted rain fall subsided.
"She held her own and ran a very good race on a tough day" Devine said, "It was sad in a way, being her last race I'll watch. It was very bitter sweet."
FULL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
