DJ Lindquist | Echo
The Taylor women's cross country team placed second in the NAIA preview meet on Saturday.
Freshman Alex Berends led the way with her third-place finish, posting a time of 18:13. Next to finish for the Trojans was senior Allison Steinbeck with a time of 19:14, followed by junior Jane Hawks at 19:16, senior Elaine Schmeltz with 19:18 and junior Anissa Richards at 19:27 to round out the top five for the Trojans.
The meet featured talented teams, including five of the top nine teams in the NAIA.
"It is a very prestigious meet with some very tough competition, though I believe we have one of the deepest teams in conference," said head coach Quinn White. "Overall, I am impressed with this team's desire to maximize their talent all for the glory of God".
The Trojans have one of the strongest teams in Taylor's history, with nine out of the 10 top team scores of all time coming from the last three years. The senior class, according to coach White, helped turn the program around and is continuing to lead in multiple ways.
"Seniors Allison Steinbeck, Elaine Schmeltz, Jenna Norris and Laura Liechty have continued to be leaders both spiritually and physically and have helped change the direction of this program," White said.
Berends has also been a key contributor this season with several top finishes in conference. She placed third out of 312 runners in the last meet and continues to receive Crossroads League honors for her impressive performances over the past month.
"Alex is a very strong frontrunner and is definitely contributing early for this team," White said.
Taylor will travel to the Great Lakes Invite Oct. 25 in Grand Rapids, Mich.Photo provided by TU Athletic Department
