ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – After a week away, the Yellowjacket women's cross country team was back in action Saturday, competing at the Interregional Invitational, hosted by Augustana College at Saukie Golf Course.
 
The Interregional Invitational is one of the largest races in the region, drawing teams and competitors from all across the nation. Because of the number of teams in attendance, the field is split into two separate races. And Saturday, the Yellowjackets were part of the "Blue" field.
 
As has been the case through much of the fall, it was a hot day on the course, but the Yellowjackets fought through the discomfort to earn a sixth-place finish on the day, posting a team total of 239 points, putting them just 25 points behind Cornell College for a spot in the top five. Washington University out of St. Louis won the race with a team score of 24.
 
Once again, the Yellowjackets were paced by sophomore standout Simone Stephens (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro). Competing in her first collegiate cross country season in 2024, Stephens has been electrifying for the Yellowjackets, and Saturday was no exception. Stephens shaved a couple seconds off her previous personal record, posting a career-best time of 23:40.8 seconds, which put her in 11th place.

Stephens was the first Yellowjacket to cross the finish line.
 
Meet Notes

• Stephens was just a half-second shy of breaking the top ten in the race.
• Cora Hudella (North Branch, Minn./North Branch Area) ran a season-best time Saturday. The defending Upper Midwest Athletic Conference champion finished Saturday's six-kilometer 24:01.0, placing her 18th.
• A few seconds after Hudella finished Tea Boerner (Owatonna, Minn./Owatonna) came through the finish line, clocking a time of 24:14.6. Boerner's time was also a season best. She placed 22nd.
• Lilley Smith (Ironwood, Mich./Ironwood) placed 83rd, coming in with a time of 25:50.6.
• Freshman Scarlett Vanderscheuren (Saginaw, Minn./South Ridge) set a new personal record, finishing Saturday's event in 27:24.3
• Aubrey Peterson (Kasson, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville) and Kenzy Kreuzer (Stoddard, Wis./De Soto) also ran season best races Saturday.

Next up for the Yellowjackets is the UMAC Championships. The 'Jackets will look to defend their conference title Saturday, Nov. 2 at Winthrop Golf Course in Winthrop, Minnesota. The race is set to being at noon.