The NIU cross country team returned home from the MAC Championships in Ohio on Saturday with an 11th place finish.

Placing 11th out of 13 teams was the best finish in five years for NIU.

“The thing we’ve been talking about all year is making improvement, moving up at the conference race and that’s exactly what we did,” coach Shantel Twiggs said. “The girls stepped up to the challenge, not as individuals, but as a team.”

Making her own personal record was Renee Kleckner with a time of 19:29. Other teammates, Laura Dunn (18:55.10) and Michelle Rhoden (18:55.50) led the way for the Huskies. Alicja Czajka (19:10) and Bonnie Miller (19:26) followed close behind. Christina Nieto (20:43) and Kim Brokhof (20:55) closed the gaps for the NIU finish.

With temperatures in the upper 40s Dunn and Rhoden both placed in the top 50. Dunn’s finish is the best by an NIU individual since the 1998 MAC meet.

“It’s a big step for us to have two girls in the top 50,” Twiggs noted. “Not only does it help Laura and Michelle, but it also shows the entire team that we can compete against the rest in the conference.”

Toledo topped the competition in first place,while NIU finished ahead of Buffalo and Marshall with a total of 294 points.

The season may continue to the NCAA Midwest Regional meet, which will be announced Monday. Dependent on if NIU participates is if Twiggs thinks the team can benefit.

The regional meet will take place at Illinois State on Nov. 16. With the Huskies’ 11th place finish they hope to seek the challenge at regionals.

“We have progressed as a team,” captain Bonnie Miller stated. “We didn’t have to qualify for the regional meet but we’ll run it for experience.”