SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Paced by senior
Rujuta Sane's 12
th-place finish, the MIT women's cross country team finished fifth in the team standings at the 6k 2025 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Milliken Research Park in Spartanburg, S.C.
Sane was one of three MIT runners to earn All-America honors at this year's NCAA Championships, as classmate
Kate Sanderson finished 25th and junior
Liv Girand added a 39th-place finish for the Engineers.
MIT led the field at the halfway point, with Sanderson running in the top five, Roeder in 11th, Sane holding 18th place, Girand in 22nd, and
Lexi Fernandez in 31st.
By the 4K mark, eventual national champion NYU started to make a move, moving four runners into the top 13 to take over first place in the team standings. At the same time, Sanderson, Sane, and Girand continued to run inside the top 25 for the Engineers.
Sane earned All-America honors for the second consecutive season after finishing in 19th place at the 2024 NCAA Championships. Sanderson concluded her remarkable cross country career with a third All-America honor. Girand earned the first All-America honor of her career in her third appearance at the national championships.
Emerson College senior
Yasmin Defne Dadikhi charged through the field and capped her collegiate cross country career with an All-America finish. Defne Dadikhi's patience in the early going paid off as she charged from 163
rd place after the first 1,000 meters for a program-best 33
rd place finish overall as she completed the six-kilometer championship in 21:52.1. She earns the first All-America honor in program history from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) with her finish inside the top 40 at the meet.
Coast Guard’s
Claire Semerod closed the book on an exemplary collegiate cross country career by finishing 28
th, running the course in 21:41, and earning her second All-American honor.
Smith College junior
Lucy Kreipke capped a breakthrough season for Smith College. Racing as one of just 70 individual qualifiers in a national field of nearly 300 runners, Kreipke covered the 6K course in 23:52.6 to place 231st overall.
Wellesley College cross country seniors
Emily Brydges and
Ella Whinney also competed. Brydges claimed 126th out of 290 finishers with a time of 23:00.7. Whinney placed 228th at 23:51.4 in her fourth career nationals appearance.
Senior
Jaz Vanderhoof placed 224th to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's cross country team. Vanderhoof turned in a time of 23:45.8 for an average mile mark of 6:23.
About the NEWMAC
The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.