Cross Country Heading To National Invitational  
SALT LAKE CITY—The Westminster women's cross country team and DJ Matthews of the men's cross country team qualified for the D2 XC National Invitational in Lubbock, Texas, on Nov. 14. The National Invitational was created by the XC Coaches Association in place of the canceled NCAA Regional and National Championships.
 
In a typical season, teams and individuals compete at their conference championships and the NCAA Regional Championships. Through the regional championships teams and individuals qualify for the NCAA National Championships. Due to COVID-19, this season has been far from typical and early in the fall at the start of the season the NCAA announced that it would not be holding the regional and national championships for cross country.
 
The D2 Cross Country Coaches' Association organized the D2 XC National Invitational to fill the void left by the NCAA's cancelation. The race includes teams and individuals from seven conferences—RMAC, GMAC, GLVC, Lone Star, GSC, Peach Belt, MIAA and SAC.
 
Teams qualified for the invitational by finishing in the top 40% at the conference championship. Each conference is granted one individual equal to the number of teams invited. With six teams invited from the RMAC, the top six individuals not on a qualifying team are invited and eligible to compete.
 
The women's team took the final team spot by finishing sixth at the RMAC Championships. Hannah Rohrer-Fitzhugh led the team with a career-best 6K and finishing in the top-20. Saydi Anderson and Amanda Lee finished second and third on the team, followed by Katie Scott and Courtney McAlindon. Emily Worline, Josii Johnson and Maddy Vilhauer rounded out the team.
 
"This is huge, and I'm stoked to see what our team and runners can do on a national stage," Head Coach Dan Quinn said. "Individuals have qualified for national competitions in the past, but this is a first for one of our teams to qualify."
 
"Being the first Westminster XC team to qualify for a national race feels amazing. We worked so hard for this and set the goal at the beginning of the season," Rohrer-Fitzhugh said. "Cross country is very much a team sport and we have been treating it like all other teams— we work hard for each other, we support each other, and we believe in ourselves and what we are doing."
 
Focusing on the team rather than individual times and finishes was central and key to their success this year, as expressed by several athletes.
 "We thrive off the success of our teammates," Courtney McAlindon expressed. "I think we have all really started to believe that we can compete with the big-name running schools"

"We are working for something bigger than ourselves," Saydi Anderson said. "We are committed to doing our very best for our teammates. When I start to get tired, I think of each of my teammates and how hard I know they are working for me which gives me the motivation to give a little more for them."
 
 "It's been really great to have such amazing girls to run with. I'm so grateful for all of them," Maddy Vilhauer shared. "I think the unfortunate circumstances of this year have brought us closer together. Running is the only normal thing about this school year, and I think we all realize how lucky we are to have a season and be able to run."
 
Matthews will be the sole representative of the men's team. Matthews finished 45^th to qualify as one of the top six runners not on a qualifying team.
 
"I am excited to run at Nationals, although it is sad not to have the rest of my men's team going with me. They pushed me every day and every race to do better," Matthews said.
 
Competing against the best isn't new to the Griffins who do that every year as a member of the RMAC. In the last 28 seasons (1992-current), a men's team from the RMAC has been crowned national champions 23 times and a women's team has won 21.