Women’s Cross Country Finishes Season 23rd at NCAAs

Meghan Bishop 76th Overall

11/21/05 7:50PM

TERRE HAUTE, IN - For a team that did not expect to be at this race until next season, William and Mary’s women’s cross country squad did very well for itself this afternoon at the NCAA Championships, finishing in 23rd, only ten points away from upsetting North Carolina for the second time in as many weeks. Stanford won the team championship in an upset of season-long No. 1 Duke, and defending champion Colorado also upset the Blue Devils to take second. Northern Arizona’s Johanna Nilsson won the individual title by twelve seconds over Columbia’s Caroline Bierbaum.

Junior Meghan Bishop (Blue Bell, PA) led the Tribe as she has all season, finishing the six kilometers in 20:54.1 for 76th place, seven seconds ahead of Julia Cathcart (Starkville, MS). Erin Prillaman (Midlothian, VA) continues to run well for the team, finishing third in 21:46.6. Sophomore Kaitlin Hurley (Portland, OR) sprinted into the chute two seconds after Prillaman, placing 173rd. Senior Karen Pulliam (North Potomac, MD) was the College’s fifth finisher two seconds after Hurley, 21:51.4. Julie Taylor (Wilmington, DE) also placed in the top 200 in her first national championship. Rounding out the squad was sophomore Abby Booker (Haddonfield, NJ), finishing the course in 23:18.5.

NCAA National Championship
Place Team Score
1. Stanford 146
2. Colorado 181
3. Duke 185
4. Arizona State 191
5. Illinois 212
. . .
23. WILLIAM AND MARY 530

Top Five Finishers:
Place Individual (Team) Time
1. Johanna Nilsson (NAU) 19:33.9
2. Caroline Bierbaum (CLB) 19:46.0
3. Stephanie Madia (ND) 19:48.4
4. Victoria Mitchell (BUTLER) 19:50.4
5. Clara Horowitz (DUKE) 19:50.7

W&M Individuals
76. Meghan Bishop 20:54.7
86. Julia Cathcart 21:01.0
165. Erin Prillaman 21:46.6
173. Kaitlin Hurley 21:48.9
178. Karen Pulliam 21:51.4
190. Julie Taylor 21:57.4
246. Abby Booker 23:18.5