For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Sophia Taarud (Gr., Farmington, Minn. / Farmington HS) - Winona State
- Won the Missouri Western State Griffon Invite
- Ran the 5K in a time of 17:25.5
- Collected her second victory of the season
- Helped WSU to a first place team finish with a perfect score of 15
- Named NSIC Athlete of the Week for the second time this season (9/23/25)

Other Top Performances
Maggie McCarthy (Bemidji State)
- Set a season best time at the Jimmie Invite 6k at 22:50.6
- Led the Beavers by taking 17th overall in the race
- Was one of just three division II runners to crack the top 20, racing against DI opponents
- Improved on her time from last year at the same race by almost one full minute
Terez Wycklendt (UMary)
- Placed 10th at the Jimmie Invitational with a time of 22:11.8
- Was the best non-NCAA Division I runner in the field of 96
- Led UMary to a third-place finish behind two Division I schools
Shaelyn Hostager (Minnesota Duluth)
- Finished fourth at the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Invite 
- Ran a time of 22:02.4 on the 6K course
- Helped UMD to a third place team finish
Emaleigh Olesiak (Northern State)
- Was the top finisher for NSU at the Jimmie Invite, taking 22nd
- Tallied a 6K time of 22:59.6, which was a personal best for the sophomore

 
NSIC Women's Cross Country Athletes of the Week
9/9/25
Ashley Overgaauw - Minnesota State
9/16/25
Not Awarded
9/23/25
Sophia Taarud - Winona State
9/30/25
Ashley Overgaauw - Minnesota State (2)
10/7/25
Sophia Taarud - Winona State (2)

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men’s league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 122 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA’s three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.