VANCOUVER, Wash. – A sixth-place GPAC finisher, senior Emily Deschaine capped her cross country career at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in Vancouver, Wash., on Saturday (Nov. 18). One of 338 runners in the NAIA women’s national championship race, Deschaine placed 131st, finishing in a time of 19:18 after navigating the 5k course.
Saturday marked Deschaine’s third appearance on the cross country national stage. She also placed 159th in Charlotte, N.C., in 2015 and then 195th last year in Elsah, Ill. Deschaine’s time in Vancouver was the best of her career in a national championships meet. The native of Frankenmuth, Mich., improved her GPAC positioning each year, turning in finishes of 23rd, 11th, ninth and sixth. Each of Deschaine’s national berths were earned individually.
The season ended on Nov. 4 at the GPAC championships for the rest of head coach Matt Beisel’s squads. Concordia placed fifth on the women’s side and sixth on the men’s side at the conference meet. Now it’s on to track and field season for the distance crew.