For Immediate Release
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Lydia Franson (So., Cottage Grove, Minn. / East Ridge HS) - Jamestown
- Took first place out of 64 runners at the Jimmie Invitational
- Ran a time of 21:55 over the 6k course
- Finished with her second-fastest time covering a 6-kilometer course
- Helped UJ to a second-place team finish behind only North Dakota State in the six team field
- Named NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the second week in a row

Other Performers
Sophie Rylance (Bemidji State)
- Finished 18th at the Jimmie Invitational Friday.
- Finished with a time of 23:31.4 in the 6k race.
- Was less than 30 seconds away from her PR that was set last week
- Took 11th among NSIC runners at the race
Natalie Wood (Minnesota Crookston)
- Placed 12th of 64 runners at the Jimmie Invitational Friday, with a time of 22:59
- Helped the squad place third of six teams, for their highest-ever placing
Bailey Wride (Minot State)
- Finished 10^th overall with a time of 22:45.8 at the Jimmie Invitational
- Was fifth out of NSIC runners
Emaleigh Olesiak (Northern State)
- Led the Northern State cross country team from the Jimmie Invite with a runner-up finish
- Tallied a 6k time of 22:01.7, propelling the Wolves to a fourth-place team finish
- Her mark was a personal best for the junior
 

 
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
9/29/26
Lydia Franson - Jamestown
10/6/26
Lydia Franson - Jamestown (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 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.