West Chester, Ohio -- Whitworth senior Julie Lauterbach ran to a 65th place finish at the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championships at Voice of America Park.

Lauterbach finished 65th

Lauterbach ran the muddy 8 kilometer course barefoot in 50 degree weather, rather than deal with the heavy mud coating her running shoes. She finished with a time of 24:27. She was the third finisher from the Northwest Conference across the finish line. Sarah Zerzan of Willamette won the meet with a time of 22:31. Tamma Carleton of Lewis & Clark was 42nd (24:02).

Middlebury College won the team championship with a score of 144, edging Amherst (145) and Calvin (149). Calvin ran away with the team title in the men's race with 37 points, far ahead of NYU (92).

Lauterbach, making her second straight appearance at the NCAA Championship meet, had finished 64th last season.