BETHLEHEM, Pa – Catie Bertges (Erie, PA/Collegiate Academy) became the first-ever Penn State Behrend women's cross country runner to advance to the NCAA Championship after finishing 11th at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Mideast Regional on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions, who finished 17th in the team standings, posted one of their best overall efforts in program history at an NCAA regional.
Bertges ran a time of 21:47 to advance to the national event. The senior has won three races thus far in 2013, including the AMCC Championship meet back on November 2.
Behrend had two other runners post top-100 times. Senior Katie Spade (Warren, PA/Warren) finished 91st with a time of 23:31, and Danielle Stanko (Sagertown, PA/Sagertown) came in at 23:34, good for 91st place.
Haley Hughes (Cochranton, PA/Cochranton) finished 138th with a time of 24:20 , and teammate Katie Manno (Erie, PA/McDowell) finished 166th with a time of 24:59. Miranda Boatman (Bellefonte, PA/Bellfonte) ran a time of 26:03, and Franki DiSalvo (Erie, PA/McDowell) finished at 26:42.
Bertges' achievement is yet another jewel in the crown of the Behrend women's cross country program. Earlier this month, five Lions runners were selected to the AMCC All-Conference team, and coach Greg Cooper was named AMCC women's Coach of the Year.
With her 11th place finish in Bethlehem, Bertges will now compete in the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship on November 23 in Hanover, Indiana.
