LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Lauren Bunke finished sixth overall on Saturday at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Region Cross Country Championships to qualify for the NCAA National Championships.
 
Bunke was one of two All-Region finishers for the Lebanon Valley women's cross country team on the West Branch Cross Country Course as Coyla Bartholomew finished 21st in the field of 204 runners. As a team the Dutchmen finished sixth to tie the highest finish at the Regional Championships in program history.
 
"After a good showing at MACs, our ladies turned things up a notch for the NCAA Regional meet with our absolute best race of the season," head coach James O'Brien stated. "We tied our best team placement in school history (2021) and recorded our lowest five-runner average ever of 22:45. Lauren rebounded after a tough last two races to show everyone what she was truly capable of today. Coyla ran amazing to become only my third sophomore or below to garner All-Region honors. The rest of the crew was sensational with Autumn getting under 23 as well as Abby and Izzy running sub-24."
 
Bunke finished with a 6,000-meter career-best time of 21:32.3 while Bartholomew ran a career-best 22:05.6. Autumn Garges also ran a career-best time finishing in 22:59.2. Abigail Hunt wasn't far behind her with a career-best time of 23:18.4. Izzy Zwally was the fifth Dutchman with a career-best time at 23:51.0. Abigail Browne ran a season-best time of 24:19.1 while Aleah Hoffman finished in 24:38.4.
 
Johns Hopkins won the team title with a score of 42 behind individual champion Sara Stephenson who crossed the line in 20:52.2. Carnegie Mellon was second with 103 points followed by Misericordia with a score of 130. Dickinson was fourth with 183 points while Scranton finished fifth with 188 points. The Dutchmen scored 215 points.
 
LVC Finishers

PL	NAME	Avg. Mile	TIME	SCORE
6	Lauren Bunke	05:46.6	21:32.3	6
21	Coyla Bartholomew	05:55.5	22:05.6	21
51	Autumn Garges	06:09.9	22:59.2	50
62	Abigail Hunt	06:15.1	23:18.4	61
78	Izzy Zwally	06:23.8	23:51.0	77
96	Abigail Browne	06:31.3	24:19.1	95
108	Aleah Hoffman	06:36.5	24:38.4	107

 
Up Next
Bunke will be officially announced as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships tomorrow. She will not have to travel far as the Championships are hosted by Dickinson next Saturday at Big Spring High School in Newville.

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