ALLENDALE, MICH. – The Grand Valley State men's and women's cross country teams head to Joplin, Missouri this weekend to compete at the NCAA Division II National Championships. The National Championships will be held on Saturday, November 18^th at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. The 2023 National Championships will kick off with the women's 6k race beginning at 11:00 a.m. (ET) followed by the men's 10k at 12:15 p.m. (ET). 
 
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Grand Valley State automatically qualified for the 2023 National Championships after sweeping the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships in Evansville, Indiana on November 4^th. The Laker women claimed their 22^nd consecutive regional title, while the men secured their 21^st consecutive regional victory. Additionally, both Grand Valley State squads captured the 2023 GLIAC Championships title after dominating the conference meet back in October. 
 
This season Grand Valley State has consistently been on top of the Midwest Regional rankings holding the No. 1 spot throughout the 2023 season. Nationally, the Lakers have remained in the Top 5 this season in the USTFCCCA Coaches' Poll and head into this year's National Championships ranked as No. 1 (women) and No. 3 (men). 
 
The No. 1 ranked women's squad are no strangers to the Top 10 podium in postseason, as they finished with six of their seven runners in the Top 10 at the Midwest Regionals. At the 2023 GLIAC Championships, the Lakers took over the Top 10 as they claimed eight spots overall, including a 1-7 finish. Natalie Graber, Ana Tucker and Klaudia O'Malley have been key competitors for this women's squad all season long, consistently finishing within the Top 20 for Grand Valley State. 
 
Last year, the Laker women clinched their seventh Division II National Runner-Up title with a team score of 126 points, trailing shortly behind No. 2, Adams State (75pts). O'Malley led the women's squad with a third-place finish followed by Lauren Kiley, who was the first freshman to cross the finish line and only freshman to place in the Top 30 as she claimed a seventh-place finish. Grand Valley State will return to this year's National Championships with a similar squad consisting of O'Malley, Graber, Tucker, Kiley, Kayce Rypma, Abby Vanderkooi and Taryn Chapko, all who are familiar with the postseason competition. 
 
The No. 3 ranked men's squad find themselves just as consistent on the course as the women's team this year, running away with the Midwest Regional title and GLIAC Championship title. At the Midwest Regionals, Grand Valley State crossed the line in a "sea of blue" as they claimed sixth through ninth overall within a one-second spread. The Laker men finished the GLIAC Championships with seven runners scoring within the Top 10, recording a low score of 21 points. 
 
Caleb Futter, Koby Fraaza, Brock Wooderson, Cal Yackin, Andrew Hylen and Elias Bergman have formed a strong six-man squad throughout the 2023 season, who find themselves finishing within the Top 40 every meet for the Lakers. 
 
The men placed fourth overall at the 2022 National Championships, with three runners finishing in the Top 40 and an overall team score of 209 points. 
 
Currently, Grand Valley State cross country has a combined total of eight NCAA National Championship titles under their belt, six brought in by the women's squad with the remaining two being clinched by the men. The Lakers are looking to repeat their 2018 National Championships appearance, when both teams took home the NCAA Division II National title. 
 
The NCAA Division II National Championships will be available to follow through live stream or live results. In addition, follow along on Twitter @GVSUXCTF or visit gvsulakers.com for more updates.