In their biggest 5K race of the season on the largest stage, the Cyclones women's cross country team continued to run with guts as they have all season. They finished 26th out of 41 teams at the NJCAA Division II Championship at Pole Green Park in Richmond, Virginia.

"This was the largest national field I've ever seen with over 40 teams and over 300 runners. The start was really congested, which caused a lot of runners to not be able to start how they would've liked. The first turn was so tight that many people were forced to walk or risk getting tripped up. After things opened up, our women were able to pass a lot of people and race more freely," said Head Coach Dimitri Dimizas.

Every Cyclone runner either earned a personal best or came close. Mia Villa led the Cyclones, crossing the finish line first for her team in 78th place out of 317 runners in 20:47. Coming in after her was Desiree Mendoza (90th, 21:05), Annabel Lipkie (190th, 22:32), Rylee Milenkovic (195th, 22:42), Mariah Karamagianis (201st, 22:51) and Hannah Raimbault (236th, 23:38). From the 1K to the finish, the team moved up four places.

Three runners were hit with the injury bug the last few weeks and could barely run most of the past week, but they all worked hard and put together a strong race when it counted.

"The women not only ran well, but they also raced just like they've done all season. It's special being able to compete as a team, and I believe the love these women have shown each other definitely helped them fight through whatever they've been feeling," Dimizas said. "I'm so proud of how they ended the season. I hope Annabel and Mariah look back on this fondly, and I hope the freshmen use this experience as a springboard heading into next year."

For complete results, click here.