Benton leads C-USA athletes at NCAA Cross Country Championship

The Marquette women's cross country team finished 28th overall at the NCAA Championship meet, while USF senior Christa Benton was the top C-USA individual finisher placing 43rd. The championship was held Monday morning at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course located at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Benton covered the 6K course in 21:16, while TCU senior Mary Kinyanjui, who was the C-USA and NCAA South Regional individual champion, was the next C-USA finisher, placing 77th in 21:43. Horned Frog teammate Calandra Stewart placed 144th in a time of 22:19

Leading the way for the Golden Eagles was junior Jodi Jakubek, who placed 108th overall with a 6k time of 22:02. Cassie Peller finished her freshman season with a strong finish of 149th and a time of 22:22 in her first ever NCAA Championship meet.

Sophomore Heidi Lindeman was the next Golden Eagle finisher taking 164th in a time of 22:29.

Kim Smith from Providence was the individual champion, while Colorado took the women's team title.