Women's Cross Country | 11/4/2025 3:16:00 PM

Crookston, Minn. - The Golden Eagles have been nothing short of spectacular this season, and that is now reflected in their rankings ahead of Regionals. The Golden Eagles are ranked 12th out of 41 in the Central Region, the highest ranking in program history. It is a ranking that is well earned.

Morgan Shaw (Jr., Redmond, Ore.) has been the Golden Eagles' top runner this season with four top 50 finishes in her first season with the University of Minnesota Crookston. Natalie Wood (R-So., Big Timber, Mont.) has been right there with Shaw, finishing in the top 50 five times. Right there with those two has been Madison Hilliard (Sr., Jacksonville, N.C.) with five top 60 finishes. Shaw, Hilliard, and Wood have been three of the top runners in program history making up the majority of the top 10 for school records along with former Golden Eagle Anna Grabowski. Shaw has the 6K record of 22:11 at at the Holiday Inn Express Classic at Dordt. Wood was right behind her at Dordt with a time of 22:17, while Hilliard finished in 22:35. Wood is coming off the best finish in school history at the NSIC Championship, clocking in at 23:05 and finishing 21st in a stacked field. Hilliard finished 40th at the NSIC Championship with a time of 23:46, while Shaw clocked in at 24:05.

Caroline Kuehne (So., Long Prairie, Minn.) is coming off a 60th place finish in Wayne at the NSIC Championship with a time of 24:19, while Grace Alwardt had a time of 24:47. Rivyn DiPadova (Fr., Soldiers Grove, Wis.) had a person record at the NSIC Championship with a time of 26:18.

Hilliard has been one of the top runners in program history, running in Regionals all four years. She had her top time at Regionals in 2024 with a finish of 23:42.58. Kuehne set the freshman mark for a Golden Eagle at the Regional in 2024 with a time of 23:35.87. Alwardt had her best finish at the Regionals last season posting a time of 24:34.17.

The Golden Eagles had their best-ever finish at a Regional in 2024 placing 25th out of 31 teams. They will look to build on that performance and a strong season as they set course for Tom Rutledge Course in Joplin, Mo. Minnesota Crookston has several runners who will be in their first Central Region race with Shaw, Wood, DiPadova, and Amber Collins (Fr., Deer Creek, Minn.) making their debuts in 2025. Shaw placed 45th at the West Regional for NCAA Division III in 2024 with a time of 22:48.2. 

The Central Regionals will begin Saturday, November 8th at 10 a.m. The Golden Eagles will look to secure a spot at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.