👟 Lona Latema Qualifies for NCAA Cross Country Championships
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas cross country sophomore Lona Latema was one of 38 individuals selected to compete at the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championships, the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Committee announced on Saturday.
Latema becomes the sixth Jayhawk from the women’s team to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships and the first since 2018 (Sharon Lokedi).
The Cross Country Championships which take place November 20 in Tallahassee, Florida, consists of 31 teams and 38 individual qualifiers as selected through an automatic qualifier and at-large selection process.
Latema has had a strong sophomore season for the Jayhawks, highlighted by her 13th place finish (21:01.17) at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Iowa City, Iowa on November 12, earning All-Region honors. Latema also earned All-Big 12 honors for her finish at the Big 12 Cross Country Championship on October 29, where she finished 10th in 21:30.6.
Prior to the postseason, Latema ran consecutive personal bests at the Gans Creek Classic (5th, 21:17.30) in Columbia, Missouri on October 1, followed by another strong run at the Pre-National Invitational (80th, 20:58.60) in Tallahassee on October 15.
Latema becomes the third women’s NCAA cross country qualifier under distance coach Michael Whittlesey and head coach Stanley Redwine, with those individuals combining for six NCAA Championship appearances.
The NCAA Cross Country Championships will take place at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee on November 20. More information on the meet can be found here.
