Janiuk heads west for NCAA Championship

Saturday, November 23

Sacramento, CA

2:15 PM

Millersville University

NCAA Championship

Janiuk heads west for NCAA Championship

11/20/2024 9:41:00 AM | Women's Cross Country

Live Video Live Results Championship Site

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Millersville University senior Morgan Janiuk is headed across the country to become the first Marauder since 2010 to run at the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship. The race is set for Saturday at 2:15 p.m. ET.

Janiuk, the PSAC runner-up, qualified as an individual for the national championship after finishing as the NCAA Atlantic Regional runner-up. She ran a time of 20.42.4, crossing the finish line just seven seconds behind the winner, Anna Igims of Slippery Rock. Janiuk is one of seven two-time All-PSAC First Team finishers in Millersville history and is now one of six Marauders to run at the NCAA Championship as an individual. She joins the ranks of Kellie Boozer (1988), Mary Zerby (1991), Jo Rupp (1993-95), Priscilla Jennings (2008-09) and Elicia Anderson (2010).

A top-40 finish would secure Janiuk All-America honors. 'Ville cross country has produced nine top-40 finishes since its first in 1988. Boozer finished 30th and 23rd in back-to-back seasons. Zerby placed 16th in 1991 and 28th with the team in 1992. Rupp cracked the top 40 three times from 1993-95. Meghan Edmiston placed 23rd in 1999. Jennings took eighth in 2009, and Anderson finished 14th in 2010.

Saturday's meet will be run at Arcade Creek Cross Country Course in Sacramento and is hosted by the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The 6K track is two laps weaving through the Arcade Creek Golf Course. There are 379 runners including 34 competing teams and 26 individuals.

INSIGHT FROM COACH ANDY YOUNG

On what the opportunity means for Janiuk and the program: "I think for Morgan, this is validation that her hard work and steady improvement can result in being able to run on the biggest stage possible. She helped our program become competitive again through her example of what student-athletes can do here at Millersville."
On Janiuk's strategy for the race: "I think she likely will lay off the top pack of runners at this event and focus on racing relaxed in the first mile and moving forward after that until the finish. People tend to get overexcited at NCAA's and go out way too fast. Elicia Anderson was in about 60^th place at the mile in 2010 and finished 14^th. Priscilla Jennings was in about 45^th place at the mile in 2009 and finished eighth. Staying calm and running your own race is the key to success here."