JOPLIN, Mo. — The Pittsburg State University women's cross country team raced to an 18th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championships Saturday (Nov. 18).
 
The Gorillas scored 487 points in the six-kilometer race held at Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Grand Valley State University captured the national crown with a low score of 59 points. National runner-up Adams finished with 86 points.
 
Redshirt junior Kate Dawson (Mound City, Kan.) led the Gorillas by finishing in 82nd scored position in 21 minutes, 38.8 seconds. Redshirt junior Claire Bruening placed 88th overall in 21:43.7, while freshman Paige Mullen (Overland Park, Kan.) finished in 87th scored position (21:46.7).
 
Redshirt junior Marissa Dick (100th, 21:49.1) and freshman Hannah Gibson (120th, 22:01.7) rounded out Pitt State's top five scored runners.
 
Pitt State made its fifth trip to the national championships in six seasons (2017-19, '22-23) – the 2020 campaign was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic – and the program's 15th all-time berth in the D2 Championships