Cornell’s men’s cross country program is back on top of the Midwest Conference. And Aaron Davidson… well he never left.
Davidson repeated as individual champion and helped fuel the Rams to the team title at Saturday’s MWC Championships at Gibson Woods Golf Course.
Cornell established a new program standard with seven all-conference performers and outdistanced in-state rival Grinnell for the team championship, 38-45. Coach Jerry Frawley’s Rams celebrated the program’s 12th MWC title in men’s cross country, and third team crown since 2017.
Frawley, in his second season at the helm, was recognized as the MWC Men’s Coach of the Year. He guided the Rams to a runner-up finish in 2021.
Davidson joined an exclusive group of Rams to win conference individual titles in consecutive years. The fifth-year star posted a six-second victory over Ripon’s runner-up Sam Forstner. Davidson clocked an 8K time of 25:32 and beat 93 competitors.
Davidson is the first Ram to capture conference gold in back-to-back years since Andrew Tobben (2009-10, Iowa Conference). Tony Every (1989-90) and Bill Dressel (1961-62) also accomplished the feat.
Davidson had a pack of teammates join him on the top 20 all-conference list. The Rams landed six of the top 13 finishers.
Sophomore Gabe Soda took fifth in 26:15. Caleb Schopen was ninth in 26:33. Both earned all-MWC medals for the second year in a row.
The Rams occupied the 11, 12 and 13 places with freshman Thomas Coble (26:46), junior Noah Lutzke (26:47) and sophomore repeat all-MWC runner Isaak Hutchings (26:53). Sophomore Fisher Isaacson also earned all-MWC status, taking 19th (27:03).
Freshman Brodie Callahan came in 23rd (27:20). Tyler Bilskie was 37th (28:30).
Women’s XCCornell’s women finished in the top half at the Midwest Conference Cross Country Championships for the 10th time in the last 11 years with Saturday’s fourth-place showing at Gibson Woods Golf Course.
Sophomore Katie Lammers paced the young Rams, claiming her first top-20 all-MWC medal by taking 11th out of 86 competitors. She covered the six-kilometer course in 23:51, setting a personal record by 53 seconds.
Lammers improved by 60 places from last year’s MWC finish. She was only two seconds out of the top 10.
The young Rams performed well with an eight-woman lineup that featured six runners making their MWC debuts. The Rams totaled 108 points, outdistancing fifth-place Beloit by 49.
Junior newcomer Carly Small crossed 22nd in 24:44, missing the all-conference cutoff by nine seconds.
Senior Madison Osborn impressed in her first collegiate cross country race. She was clocked in 25:01 for 28th. Freshman Alyza Koppes finished 31st (25:45) and sophomore Elinor Ascher-Handlin was 40th (27:04) to round out Cornell’s point scorers.
The next wave of Rams included Cari Pickup in 55th (28:36), Grace Parises 60th (28:56) and Annika Sutter 63rd (29:14).
Ripon edged Grinnell for the team crown, 34-41. Lawrence, the 2021 champion, took third with 50 points.
Lawrence’s Cristyn Oliver ran away with the individual title in 22:35.