Completed Event: Cross Country at Spider Alumni Open on August 30, 2025 , , 5th of 14
XC
Final
James Madison
at Spider Alumni Open
5th of 14
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Lawson Named Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year
11/9/2023 4:00:00 PM | Cross Country
NEW ORLEANS – Katherine Lawson of James Madison cross country was tabbed as the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year, the league announced on Thursday afternoon.
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Lawson finished 11th in her first Sun Belt Championship race, crossing the finish line in 18:02.9 to earn Third Team All-Conference Honors. The Drake transfer helped the Dukes finish second overall with 89 team points, the program's best Sun Belt finish in school history.
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The Brisbane, Queensland native followed up her all-conference performance with a first-place finish at the Hokie Open on Nov. 3. Lawson recorded a time of 14:03.8 in the 4K race.
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The Dukes will trek to Spartanburg, S.C. for the NCAA Southeast Regional meet, hosted by USC Upstate on Nov. 10. The women's race is set for 11 a.m. at the Milliken Research Center.
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The top two teams in each regional secure automatic bids to the championship. The first four regional finishers not from an automatic qualifying or at-large team also secure an auto-bid to the championships.
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If a team doesn't secure an automatic bid, it will have to rely on the NCAA DI Cross Country Subcommittee to select it as one of the 13 at-large teams. Only two individual at-larges are selected, making a strong regional performance pivotal to advancing toward a national title.Â
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After regional action has concluded, advancing teams will compete for a national championship on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. Virginia will host the championship meet at Panorama Farms.
Â
Lawson finished 11th in her first Sun Belt Championship race, crossing the finish line in 18:02.9 to earn Third Team All-Conference Honors. The Drake transfer helped the Dukes finish second overall with 89 team points, the program's best Sun Belt finish in school history.
Â
The Brisbane, Queensland native followed up her all-conference performance with a first-place finish at the Hokie Open on Nov. 3. Lawson recorded a time of 14:03.8 in the 4K race.
Â
The Dukes will trek to Spartanburg, S.C. for the NCAA Southeast Regional meet, hosted by USC Upstate on Nov. 10. The women's race is set for 11 a.m. at the Milliken Research Center.
Â
The top two teams in each regional secure automatic bids to the championship. The first four regional finishers not from an automatic qualifying or at-large team also secure an auto-bid to the championships.
Â
If a team doesn't secure an automatic bid, it will have to rely on the NCAA DI Cross Country Subcommittee to select it as one of the 13 at-large teams. Only two individual at-larges are selected, making a strong regional performance pivotal to advancing toward a national title.Â
Â
After regional action has concluded, advancing teams will compete for a national championship on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. Virginia will host the championship meet at Panorama Farms.
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