For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Stella Rusch (Jr., St. Cloud, Minn. / St. Cloud Tech HS) - Winona State
- Earned her second career individual victory at the Winona State Invitational
- Ran a 6K time of 21:02.50 to win by nearly 45 seconds
- Helped Winona State to the team title in the 10-team field
- Named NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the fourth time this season

Other Performers
Lydia Franson (Jamestown)    
- Took first place at the Marauders Tune-Up on October 23rd with a time of 21:10.6 in the 6k race.
- Set a new personal best 6k time, beating her previous mark by 44 seconds.
Tori Stepka (UMary)    
- Placed 2nd at the Marauders Tune-Up
- Recorded a personal best time of 21:36.2
- Led UMary to team victory
- Has placed top-5 in all four races this season
Sophie Baker (Minnesota State)    
- Finished third in Warrior Invitational hosted by Winona State
- Completed 6K with a time of 21:55.3
- Helped lead Mavericks to an overall team finish of third, second amongst DII teams trailing only Winona State
Bailey Wride (Minot State)
- Led the Beavers with a 3rd-place finish at the Marauders Tune-Up on Friday
- Clocked a time of 21:46
- The time was second-fastest 6K in her collegiate career and ranks No. 3 in the Beavers' NCAA era
Emaleigh Olesiak (Northern State)    
- Led Northern State from the Marauder Tune-up with a fifth place finish
- Ran to a personal best time of 21:52.4 in the 6k
- Aided the Wolves in a third place team finish from the meet
Brooklyn Koll (Sioux Falls)    
- Finished 3rd overall out of 46 competitors at Mount Marty Invitational
- Completed the 6K course in 23:37.2
- Recorded her highest individual finish of the 2026 season
- Led all NSIC runners in the competition
Addison Bertrand (Wayne State)    
- Finished fourth at Mount Marty Lancer Invite Thursday
- Covered 6,000-meter course in 23:51.2
- Was fourth place in field of 46 runners
- Helped WSC to third place team finish

 
NSIC Women's Cross Country Athletes of the Week
9/9/26
Stella Rusch - Winona State
9/15/26
Tori Stepka - UMary
9/22/26
Stella Rusch - Winona State (2)
9/29/26
Lydia Franson - Jamestown
10/6/26
Lydia Franson - Jamestown (2)
10/13/26
Stella Rusch - Winona State (3)
10/20/26
Katelyn Kennedy - MSU Moorhead
10/27/26
Stella Rusch - Winona State (4)

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 128 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.