Cleary University cross country team finishes second at Nationals

SYRACUSE – Cleary University’s Elaine Lowe and Natasha Stevenson finished first and second in the United State Collegiate Athletic Association’s Cross Country National Championships Friday.

The individual medalist honor marked Lowe’s second consecutive national championship.

The one-two finish helped the Cleary University women’s team place second overall in the 18 team field.

Lowe crossed the finish line in 23.05 and then waited to cheer on her teammates. She didn’t have to wait long when Stevenson emerged 11 seconds behind her in second place.

Cleary’s Morgan McFaul finished in 21st place in a time of 25:37. Aleighsha Engisch was 25th (25:48). Kellie Szewczyk was 38th (27:09). Amanda Glass was 80th (29:15)

Dine College was the team champion, with four runners in the top 10 finishers.

On the men’s side, Cleary’s Scott Schutlz finished 52nd in a field of 186.

Cleary University Coach Sarah Boyle was named the 2014 USCAA Coach of the Year.

Cleary University reintroduced athletics in 2012. In 2014, three teams competed in their respective national championships (men’s golf, men’s soccer and cross country.) Those three teams have had nine All-Academic Team members and four All-Americans.