Michigan State wins NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship

Top-ranked Michigan State won its first NCAA Women?s Cross Country Championship on Saturday, as four Spartans recorded top-25 finishes en route to the national title. It marked the third women?s cross country national crown for a Big Ten program and the first since Wisconsin won the NCAA title in 1984 and 1985.

Rachele Schulist led the way for the Spartans, running the 6K race in a time of 19:54.3 to guide her to a fourth-place individual finish. Lindsay Clark placed 11^th (20:16.0), while Big Ten Athlete of the Year Leah O?Connor ran to a 17^th-place finish (20:20.8). Julia Otwell finished 21^st with a time of 20:29.5.

The Spartans compiled 85 points, giving them a 62-point advantage over the rest of the field. Two other Big Ten teams posted top-20 finishes, as Wisconsin placed 10^th and Michigan landed in 18^th.

The top finisher for the Big Ten was Wisconsin?s Sarah Disanza, who recorded a second-place finish in a time of 19:39.9.

#MSUXC #NationalChampions pic.twitter.com/WTMkh7NZLU

— MSU Track & Field/XC (@MSU_TFXC) November 22, 2014