Third straight championship helps Johns Hopkins surpass seven SUNY Cortland crowns from 1989-97; Parker and Phillip both become fifth athletes in respective genders to secure back-to-back titles, MIT men’s team also triumphs

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Despite the changing landscape in NCAA Division 3 cross country this season, with several All-Americans transferring to Division 1 universities to complete their remaining eligibility and new challengers contending for team titles, the outcome of Saturday’s championship meet at Forest Akers Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich., was quite similar to last year’s finals at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park in Louisville, Ky.

Kassie Parker of Loras dominated the women’s 6-kilometer race to repeat in 21 minutes, 6.5 seconds.

Alex Phillip of John Carroll again relied on a late surge to secure the men’s 8-kilometer crown in 24:37.6.

And Johns Hopkins showcased a significant rally once more in the final kilometer to not only capture the women’s team title, but achieve the all-time Division 3 record, as the Blue Jays edged University of Chicago by a 144-147 margin to earn their eighth championship.

Johns Hopkins, which overcame a 5-kilometer deficit last year against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to secure a 130-132 victory in Kentucky, broke a tie with SUNY Cortland and its seven championships from 1989-97.

The Blue Jays have won all eight titles from 2012 to the present, including the past three crowns, with the 2020 final being canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

After winning its first five titles by an average of 60 points, Johns Hopkins has prevailed in the past three finals by a total of 18 points, each time against a different challenger.

MIT was the only first-time winner Saturday, with the men’s team rebounding from a runner-up finish last year behind Pomona-Pitzer to secure the crown with an 82-129 victory against Wartburg.

University of Chicago, seeking its first women’s championship, led by a projected 35-point margin at the 5-kilometer mark Saturday.

But Alex Ross held her spot to finish fifth in 22:05.8, Sara Stephenson ascended six spots to place ninth in 22:11.4, Katharine Priu elevated eight positions to take 53rd in 22:58.2 and Paloma Hancock climbed one spot to secure 73rd in 23:08.4, with only Sydney Fridel yielding ground to drop five spots to 30th in 22:36.9.

Chicago, which led from the 2-mile mark to the 5-kilometer split, had Anna Kenig-Ziesler finish 11th in 22:12.8 and Lucy Groothuis achieve 17th in 22:27.1, but couldn’t overcome a 20-point difference against Johns Hopkins based on the performances of both teams’ top three scorers.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the performance produced by Johns Hopkins in 25-degree weather with snow lining the Forest Akers course was that Ella Baran, ninth place last year for the Blue Jays and Division 3 all-time mile record holder who transferred to Colorado during the summer, earned All-America honors Saturday at the NCAA Division 1 final at Oklahoma State by finishing 30th overall.

Wartburg, which had Aubrie Fisher finish 14th in 22:15.2 and Lexi Brown secure 16th in 22:26.9, held off Carleton by a 178-179 margin to take third overall. Carleton was led by Clara Mayfield finishing third in 21:55.7 and Hannah Preisser placing 15th in 22:16.7.

SUNY Geneseo edged Washington University on a head-to-head tiebreaker for fifth place after the teams both accumulated 198 points.

Parker became the fifth Division 3 female competitor to repeat as individual champion, including the first since Wendy Pavlus of St. Lawrence in 2009-10.

Loras, which finished 18th overall in its first NCAA championship appearance since 1997, is one of 13 all-time Division 3 women’s teams with multiple individual titles.

Fiona Smith of St. Benedict, who trailed Parker by eight seconds at the mile mark and never got any closer, was runner-up in 21:49.6 to improve from a fifth-place finish last season.

Anastasia Tucker of Hope finished fourth in 22:02.1, elevating from 11th place last year.

Phillip also became the fifth male athlete in Division 3 history to achieve back-to-back individual titles, moving from fifth at the midway point to third with less than two kilometers remaining, before taking over the lead with 1,200 meters left and holding off Christian Patzka of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 24:40.0.

Phillip, the first repeat winner since Ian LaMere of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2015-16, also helped John Carroll finish fourth for the second year in a row with 186 points, just behind third-place SUNY Geneseo with 168 points.

Two-time champion Pomona-Pitzer finished fifth with 193 points.

Sam Acquaviva led five MIT scorers in the top 40, taking third in 24:42.1, with Ryan Wilson finishing fifth in 24:54.2.

Matthew Kearney was 14th in 25:17.3, Henry Hardart grabbed 35th in 25:34.2 and Andrew Mah took 36th in 25:34.8 for MIT, which established a projected lead of more than 100 points at the 2-mile mark and maintained control the rest of the race.

Ethan Gregg of Wisconsin-La Crosse finished fourth in 24:52.8, improving from 11th last season.

Nick Andrews secured sixth for SUNY Geneseo in 24:59.8, making a big move from 39th last year, and Christopher Collet took seventh for Wartburg in 25:06.9, another significant improvement after earning 80th last season.