The UW-La Crosse Women’s Cross Country team was all smiles Saturday, Nov. 1, as they were able to complete their quest for back-to-back WIAC Championships when the school collected their eighth conference title.
This is the fourth time UW-L has been able to repeat as conference champions, the last time in 2005-2006.  The race, which took place in Ettrick, Wisconsin, was held at the Ettrick Golf Course and featured all of the top teams in the WIAC that UW-L has battled all season long.            UW-L was able to secure the victory scoring a match best: 32 points.  UW-Oshkosh came in second with 72, UW-Eau Claire in third with 73, UW-Steven’s Point was fourth with 101 points and the rest fell behind.
UW-L, as a team, was not the only repeat champion; senior Laura Mead also won big.  Mead has a course best time of 21:59:35 during the 6,000 meter race.  This feat made Mead just the seventh runner in conference history to win back to back individual titles, and only the second runner in UW-L history to repeat, joining Tori Neubauer in 1982 and 1983.
Mead was very quick to focus on the team’s overall success, saying, “I am more excited about the team repeat championship title because it shows our growth as a program.”
Mead, who has been on the team for four years, said that coach Derek Stanley, who took over during her second year, united both the men and women’s cross country teams. She said that culture helped motivate the team and drive them to their success.
“Our success has increased exponentially since my freshman year, and I would attribute this to several things,” Mead said. “First, as my freshman class got older and developed within the program, we worked to create a more positive, goal focused team culture.”
Mead’s triumph wasn’t the only outstanding individual performance in the 6,000 meter race, as UW-L had five runners place inside the top twelve.  Shortly behind Mead was Natalie Powell in third place, Elizabeth Frick in sixth place, Ellen Smith in tenth place and Rebecca Zych finished twelfth.
UW-L had six other runners place at the event including Jill Englebert, Sydney  Latterell, Sara Normington, Lisa Rydeen, Abbey Singleton and Kristin Mehr.  Rydeen was also selected to the All-WIAC Sportsmanship team.
UW-L, however, is not finished, as they will continue to press on while Mead said her victory will only motivate her for more success when the team prepares to race at nationals in Mason, OH Saturday, Nov. 22.