Senior Ana Tucker and the Hope College women’s cross country team made the field at the MIAA Championships chase them on Saturday.
The aggressive approach propelled both Tucker and the Flying Dutch to the top of the pack.
No. 24-ranked Hope raced to a winning total of 39 points and earned a seventh consecutive MIAA championship — the longest title run in team history.
Tucker, a senior, led the change with a first-place, 6K time of 20 minutes, 52.2 seconds at Shepherd High School in Shepherd, Michigan, near host Alma College.
“We decided we would take it out fast, and it really made a big difference,” head coach Mark Northuis said. “We knew it was going to be a tough race. It was one of the better runs we put together the whole year.
.The Flying Dutch finished 11 points ahead of runner-up and No. 20-ranked Calvin University. Trine University placed third with 52 points.
Tucker (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow HS) sprinted away from a field of 128 runners and recorded a winning effort of 20 minutes, 52.2 seconds.
Adding to her extensive list of accomplishments, Tucker claimed her MIAA individual cross country title by finishing 42 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor, Calvin’s Jenna Allman.
“It was nice to see her add that to her resume,” Northuis said of Tucker. “She does well in her own rhythm. She is just much faster.”
Saturday marked the seventh time a Flying Dutch runner won an MIAA women’s individual title.
Tucker led a strong pack for the Flying Dutch, who were MIAA champions for the 12th time in team history.
Three more Hope runners placed in the Top 10 and four more among the Top 18.
Senior Ellie Jankowski (Granger, Indiana / Penn) clocked the fourth-fastest run at 21:4.8.6.
Senior Anna Mason (Zeeland, Michigan / Libertas Christian) took ninth at 22:16.7.
Freshman Madison Stern (Saline, Michigan / Saline) finished 10th at 22:21.3.
Senior Heleyna Tucker, Ana’s sister, placed 15th at 22:45.6 to close out the Flying Dutch’s scoring.
Sophomore Maddy Struck (Hainesville, Illinois / Grayslake Central) recorded a 16th-place run of 22:46.7.
Junior Olivia Quillan (Grandville, Michigan / Calvin Christian) recorded an 18th-place effort of 22:49.0.
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