UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash.—Last season, a very young Chico State women's cross country team placed 25th at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships. The 2022 edition of the Wildcats once again reached the national finals; a little older, a little wiser—and a whole lot more successful. The 'Cats, fueled by an All-American run by Marissa D'Atri, finished 12th in the 34-team field competing Friday at Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place, Washington.
 
With hints of snow still dotting the course, the Chico State women notched their highest national team finish since placing seventh in 2019. The Wildcats were led by D'Atri, who captured her first All-America cross country honor with a 6k time of 20:56.4, good for 14th place and a well-deserved trip to the awards podium.
 
D'Atri spent the entire race amongst the lead runners, and at the 4.2k split she found herself at a peak of ninth place. D'Atri's All-America effort—matching her All-America performance in the steeplechase during the 2022 track & field season—capped off a memorable cross country season that saw the Martinez product also earn All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and All-West Region honors.
 
D'Atri was far from the only Wildcat that turned in a quality performance Friday at the NCAA Championships. Hannah Tiffany was the next Chico State runner to cross the finish line, stopping the clock with a time of 21:50.6 to finish 81st overall.
 
Della Molina posted a 92nd place finish with a time of 21:58.3, while Katie Hawley—who didn't compete at the NCAA West Regional two weeks ago—completed the 6k layout in a season-best time of 22:07.5, finishing 106th.
 
Iresh Molina was 133rd with a time of 22:27.2, with Gracie Dupuis delivering a 22:48.4 performance to place 161st. Hannah Ryan rounded out the Wildcats' Friday with a 169th place finish, clocking in at 22:51.8.
 
Adams State finished first to claim the NCAA Division II Women's Cross Country Championship crown, easily outpointing runner-up Grand Valley State. Colorado School of Mines placed third and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs fourth to earn trips to the awards podium.
 
For the second time in her career, Stephanie Cotter of Adams State won the individual national championship, finishing first with a time of 19:45.2. Cotter became just the ninth women's runner in NCAA Division II history to win multiple national cross country titles.
 
Though it came up just short of a national top 10 finish, there's plenty of optimism surrounding the Chico State women's cross country team as it starts to look ahead to 2023. With many of the program's top runners returning, the Wildcat harriers will be yet another year older and another year wiser—and Friday's experience of competing on the national stage is sure to spur the 'Cats on to even greater heights next fall.