CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The Wisconsin women's cross country team wrapped up its season with a 22nd-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships on Saturday morning at Panorama Farms. 

The Badgers scored 487 points in the program's 33rd appearance. 

NC State won the team title with 123 points, while Northern Arizona finished second with 124 points, Oklahoma State rounded out the top three teams with a score of 156 points. The Badgers finished second among Big Ten Conference teams, with Michigan State coming in 16th and Penn State finishing 31st in team scores. 

Junior Leane Willemse led the Badgers, finishing 44th in her first NCAA Championship race, covering the 6,000-meter course in 20 minutes, 08.2 seconds. The Mequon, Wisconsin native moved up 37 spots over the last 3,000 meters.

Graduate student Vivian Hacker placed second among the Badgers and 133rd overall in 20 minutes, 54.4 seconds, she moved up 36 spots over the last 1,000 meters. Redshirt freshman Isabella Jacobsen crossed the line in 20 minutes 54.8 seconds, moving up two places over the last kilometer to finish 137th overall, while graduate student Danielle Orie finished 152nd in 21 minutes 01.9 seconds. 

Graduate student Alexa Westley rounded out the UW scorers, finishing 155th in 21 minutes 02.8 seconds. Other Badger finishers were graduate student Samantha Stieve, who placed 193rd in 21:26.9, moving up eight places over the last kilometer, and junior Kylie Finger, who finished 211th in 21:41.5.

The Badgers had an outstanding 2023 season, placing 16th at the Nuttycombe Invitational, second at the Big Ten Championships, and second at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, with six athletes earning all-region honors.

Straight from the Course :
UW Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Mick Byrne:
"With championships, anything can happen out there. You're running against the best teams in the country. The ladies did a great job, they played to their seed. Great run by Leané Willemse, she's had a tremendous year. The experience the younger women got coming into this meet: Bella Jacobsen was great, Kylie Finger as well. This was their first rodeo at this level and they did a great job."

Leane Willemse:
"We went out really hard. I think I did a good job moving up throughout the race, even with the tight turns and hills. I think I finished strong, but the course was tougher than everyone expected. Overall, I think everyone gave it their all; the course was brutal, and we gave it the best we had today."

Up Next:
After hosting a pair of successful postseason meets during the 2023 season, Wisconsin is primed to host the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championship on Saturday, Nov. 23 at the Thomas ZImmer Championship Cross Country Course. More information about the NCAA meet, as well as the Badgers' other home meets, will be available in the following months.  
 

2023 NCAA Championships
Saturday, Nov. 18, 2022
Panorama Farms Cross Country Course
Charlottesville, Virginia
6000 Meter Course