CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Senior Taylor Grove extended her cross country season as long as possible, earning a bid to the 2018 NAIA Cross Country National Championships that took place on Friday morning (Nov. 16). Grove navigated the 5k championships Seminole Valley Park course in Cedar Rapids in a time of 18:57.1. She clocked in 125th amongst the field of 340 qualifiers.
Grove was the lone Bulldog from head coach Matt Beisel’s program to qualify for the national championships. She punched her ticket by placing fourth at the GPAC championships back on Nov. 3. The native of Billings, Mont., had appeared twice in the marathon at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, but had not previously ran at the cross country national meet. Grove is the GPAC’s defending 10,000 meter outdoor champion.
In terms of 2018 performances, Grove’s time on Friday represented her third best race of the fall. She finished in a season best 18:27.18 at the Briar Cliff Invite. Grove’s time at the national championships was just a few seconds off what she ran at the GPAC championships.
Grove was accompanied on the journey to Cedar Rapids by Beisel as well as fellow all-conference teammates Abi DeLoach and Rebekah Hinrichs.
Grove season-in-review
Augustana Twilight – 47th/277 (19:23.67)
Bronco Stampede – 4th/79 (20:40.32)
Dean White Invite – 9th/154 (19:52.40)
Briar Cliff Invite – 4th/166 (18:27.18)
Seminole Valley Stampede – 15th/286 (19:29.6)
GPAC Championships – 4th/103 (18:53.54)
NAIA National Championships – 125th/340 (18:57.1)