Cross Country

Toledo Concludes 2024 Season at NCAA Cross Country National Championships

Recap courtesy of Toledo Athletic Communications

MADISON, Wis. – The No. 26 Toledo women's cross country team and men's individual qualifier Dominic Serem wrapped up the 2024 season at the NCAA Cross Country National Championships in Madison, Wis. on Saturday.

Toledo, which was competing in its second national championship race in the last three years, was the only Mid-American Conference school to participate in the women's event. The Rockets placed 30th as a team with 723 points.

Redshirt freshman Mercy Kinyanjui led the way for the Rockets, recording a final time of 20:19.4 to place 62nd. Laura Nicholson took 131st with a time of 20:43.9 while Lou Trois crossed the finish line at 21:17.6 to place 213th. Morgan Hicks (238th/21:38.8) and Lianna Surtz (246th/21:45.1) rounded out the scoring for the Rockets.

"I am so proud of our athletes for how they've navigated this whole season," said Head Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough. "It's not easy to come out to a national championship race and feel like you're fighting for your life, but the quality and caliber of this meet just gets better every year. They ran their hearts out and while you always hope for a little more on a day like this, I'm not leaving here with anything but pride. After all, there are about 360 teams whose seasons ended last week."

Freshman Dominic Serem was the first individual qualifier in 49 years for Toledo to compete in the men's 10K race. He finished with a final time of 30:28.1 to take 172nd-place.

"Over the past two years, our team has undergone remarkable growth at a rapid rate," said Associate Head Coach Tito Medrano. "In the process of getting better, it's been a journey of two steps forward and one step back, a natural part of building a successful program. Dominic has had a phenomenal start to his cross country career, and I truly believe he's just scratching the surface of his potential.

"This season has been filled with many 'firsts' for our team, marking significant milestones and setting the foundation for future success. As we reflect on these accomplishments, our focus now shifts to taking another step forward, positioning ourselves firmly in NCAA regional and national conversations. I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved and excited for what lies ahead."