SOUTH BEND, Ind.---Xavier junior Kerry Hils (Moberly, Mo./Moberly) broke the Xavier record for 5 kilometers while finishing fifth at the National Catholic Championship at Notre Dame University. Hils’ finish helped guide the women’s cross country team to third place. The men’s team finished in 11th place.

Hils, the reigning Atlantic 10 Cross Country Performer of the Week, has run the two fastest 5K races in school history. Hils, who had broken the school record the previous weekend at the Mel Brodt Invitational at Bowling Green State University, beat her time by 13 seconds to finish with a time of 17:43.

The women’s team claimed a third place finish out of 26 teams. Xavier finished behind champion Marquette and second place Notre Dame with 140 points.

Sophmore Jennie Illig (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon Township) was the second fastest Xavier runner. Illig finished in 31st place with a time of 19:13. Teammates Jennifer Andrassy (Bay Village, Ohio/Magnificat) and Molly Krumpelbeck (Cincinnati/Seton) finished with a time of 19:20. Andrassy finished in 35th and Krumpelbeck in 36th.

The men’s team faced competition from 26 different schools and finished in 11th place. Freshman Patrick Rischmann (Cincinnati/LaSalle), the reigning Atlantic 10 Cross Country Performer and Rookie of the Week, had a solid outing at the National Catholic Championship. Rischmann finished in 29th place with a time of 26:07.

Rischmann finished in 29th place with a time of 26:07. Andrew LaMaster (Prospect, Ky./South Oldham) finished strong with a time of 26:33, good for 41st place.

Xavier next races on Saturday at the Cross Country Only National Championship in St. Louis.

Xavier Musketeers Cross Country

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