For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
NSIC Media Relations

NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Stella Rusch (Jr., St. Cloud, Minn. / St. Cloud Tech) - Winona State
- Recorded a personal best 6k time of 20:05.50 at the Roy Griak Invitational
- Placed seventh overall and first among Division II runners
- Helped Winona State place sixth as a team and first among Division II teams
- Named NSIC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week for the second time this season (9/9/26)

Other Performers
Natalie Wood (Minnesota Crookston)
- Led the Golden Eagles to a 6K record Friday at the Roy Griak Invitational
- Finished in 21:56 setting the Minnesota Crookston 6K school record
- Finished 84th overall, 23rd among non-Division I runners
- The Golden Eagles were 12th of 17 but were sixth of non-Division I programs
Ellie Hanowski (Minnesota Duluth)
- Ran to a second overall finish at the St. Olaf Invitational
- A season-best time of 22:43.4
- Contributed to a third-place finish as a team
Sophie Baker (Minnesota State)
- Competed in the Roy Griak Invitational as the Mavericks top finisher with a time of 20:40.5
- Finished 19th overall and third out of all Division II runners
Bailey Wride (Minot State)
- Turned in a career-best in the women's 6K race
- Finished 72nd at the Roy Griak Invitational on Friday in 21:44.3
- Was the 2nd-fastest 6K in Minot State's women's cross-country history

 
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

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.