Saturday, October 28
Bowling Green, Ohio
Noon
University of Toledo
vs
MAC Championships
Toledo won its third consecutive and ninth MAC Championship title on Saturday afternoon in Bowling Green, Ohio.
Three-Peat! Rockets Claim Third Straight MAC Championship
10/28/2023 4:00:00 PM | Women's Cross Country
Toledo captures third-consecutive conference title for second time in program history
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Graduate student Laura Nicholson registered a sixth-place finish to lead the University of Toledo women's cross country team to its third-consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship title at the Mel Brodt Cross Country Course on Saturday afternoon.
Head Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough was named MAC Women's Coach of the Year for the third time in her career while leading UT to its ninth title, the second-most in the league. The last time Toledo won three MAC Championships in a row was from 2010-12. Â
The race was very tight with Toledo's 69 team points finishing just seven points ahead of second-place Eastern Michigan and eight in front of third-place Ohio.
Following Nicholson were sophomore Lianna Surtz (8th/ 20:57.47), senior Madeline Vining (14th/ 21:09.78), senior Vilde Henriksen (19th/ 21:23.85), and junior Morgan Hicks (22nd/ 21:28.35). The remaining Rockets were sophomore Jaydon Cirincione (29th), sophomore Karina James (42nd), and junior Alex Bauer (58th).
"I am proud of this program, our championship culture, our depth and everything we've overcome this season which makes it a real emotional win," Grove-McDonough said. "It's been a challenging season and we had a number of what felt like obstacles throughout the year. What I'm super proud of and why today was so emotional for us is we just kept finding someone in our lineup who stepped up. It's a cliché but we talk about it all the time, it's the next woman up. This team embodies that, and I think it speaks to the culture of this program. The last thing I said to the women was 'You all came here for a reason; you came here to win championships.
"I have to shout out our men's team as well because I don't know if people realize what they're accomplishing as a men's-only cross country program. It's phenomenal. They ran amazingly and I was proud of them, and for Dennis Mutai to win a first-ever individual title is awesome."
Nicholson was named First-Team All-MAC, while Surtz and line Vining were named Second-Team All-MAC. This is the second all-conference honor for Vining.
Toledo will now try to qualify for the NCAA Championship Meet when it competes at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Madison, Wis. on Friday, Nov. 10.
2023 MAC Cross Country Championships
Bowling Green, Ohio | Mel Brodt Cross Country Course
Saturday, Oct. 28
Women's 6K Results
1. Toledo – 69
2. Eastern Michigan – 76
3. Ohio – 77
4. Bowling Green – 117
5. Akron – 125
6. Central Michigan – 129
7. Western Michigan – 164
8. Miami – 203
9. Buffalo – 241
10. Ball State – 257
11. Northern Illinois – 310
12. Kent State - 320
Toledo Individual Finishes
6. Laura Nicholson – 20:50.03 *PR
8. Lianna Surtz – 20:57.47
14. Madeline Vining – 21:09.78
19. Vilde Henriksen – 21:23.85
22. Morgan Hicks – 21:28.35
29. Jaydon Cirincione – 21:41.02
42. Karina James – 21:11.73 *PR
58. Alex Bauer – 22:32.91
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2023 MAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year – Andrea Grove-McDonough, Toledo
2023 MAC Women's Freshman Runner of the Year - Mary Munga, Akron
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First-Team All-MAC
Emily Paupore, Central Michigan
Esme Davies, Eastern Michigan
Theresa Hagey, Ohio
Mary Munga, Akron
Paige Marchant, Eastern Michigan
Laura Nicholson, Toledo
Danielle Rinn, Western Michigan
Â
Second Team All-MAC
Lianna Surtz, Toledo
Marta Moreno, Eastern Michigan
Leila Boussedra, Ohio
Kylee Cubbison, Bowling Green
Kayla Schiera, Western Michigan
Ava Nuttall, Miami
Madeline Vining, Toledo
Head Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough was named MAC Women's Coach of the Year for the third time in her career while leading UT to its ninth title, the second-most in the league. The last time Toledo won three MAC Championships in a row was from 2010-12. Â
The race was very tight with Toledo's 69 team points finishing just seven points ahead of second-place Eastern Michigan and eight in front of third-place Ohio.
Following Nicholson were sophomore Lianna Surtz (8th/ 20:57.47), senior Madeline Vining (14th/ 21:09.78), senior Vilde Henriksen (19th/ 21:23.85), and junior Morgan Hicks (22nd/ 21:28.35). The remaining Rockets were sophomore Jaydon Cirincione (29th), sophomore Karina James (42nd), and junior Alex Bauer (58th).
"I am proud of this program, our championship culture, our depth and everything we've overcome this season which makes it a real emotional win," Grove-McDonough said. "It's been a challenging season and we had a number of what felt like obstacles throughout the year. What I'm super proud of and why today was so emotional for us is we just kept finding someone in our lineup who stepped up. It's a cliché but we talk about it all the time, it's the next woman up. This team embodies that, and I think it speaks to the culture of this program. The last thing I said to the women was 'You all came here for a reason; you came here to win championships.
"I have to shout out our men's team as well because I don't know if people realize what they're accomplishing as a men's-only cross country program. It's phenomenal. They ran amazingly and I was proud of them, and for Dennis Mutai to win a first-ever individual title is awesome."
Nicholson was named First-Team All-MAC, while Surtz and line Vining were named Second-Team All-MAC. This is the second all-conference honor for Vining.
Toledo will now try to qualify for the NCAA Championship Meet when it competes at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Madison, Wis. on Friday, Nov. 10.
2023 MAC Cross Country Championships
Bowling Green, Ohio | Mel Brodt Cross Country Course
Saturday, Oct. 28
Women's 6K Results
1. Toledo – 69
2. Eastern Michigan – 76
3. Ohio – 77
4. Bowling Green – 117
5. Akron – 125
6. Central Michigan – 129
7. Western Michigan – 164
8. Miami – 203
9. Buffalo – 241
10. Ball State – 257
11. Northern Illinois – 310
12. Kent State - 320
Toledo Individual Finishes
6. Laura Nicholson – 20:50.03 *PR
8. Lianna Surtz – 20:57.47
14. Madeline Vining – 21:09.78
19. Vilde Henriksen – 21:23.85
22. Morgan Hicks – 21:28.35
29. Jaydon Cirincione – 21:41.02
42. Karina James – 21:11.73 *PR
58. Alex Bauer – 22:32.91
Â
2023 MAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year – Andrea Grove-McDonough, Toledo
2023 MAC Women's Freshman Runner of the Year - Mary Munga, Akron
Â
First-Team All-MAC
Emily Paupore, Central Michigan
Esme Davies, Eastern Michigan
Theresa Hagey, Ohio
Mary Munga, Akron
Paige Marchant, Eastern Michigan
Laura Nicholson, Toledo
Danielle Rinn, Western Michigan
Â
Second Team All-MAC
Lianna Surtz, Toledo
Marta Moreno, Eastern Michigan
Leila Boussedra, Ohio
Kylee Cubbison, Bowling Green
Kayla Schiera, Western Michigan
Ava Nuttall, Miami
Madeline Vining, Toledo
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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/ Women's Cross Country
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