Cassidy Walchak-Sloan secures All-American finish and shatters records in historic cross country season
"I had no idea I broke the school record until after the race when my coach told me. Achieving another school record never crossed my mind, but it made the race all that more special."
- Cassidy Walchak-Sloan
- Cross country athlete
Saint Martin's cross country runner Cassidy Walchak-Sloan culminated an exceptional season with a stellar performance at the MSSU Race Course in Joplin, Missouri, claiming an impressive All-American finish with one of the best performances in Saints history. Out of 264 runners, Cassidy secured 27th place at the NCAA Championships. She completed the race in a record breaking time of 20:34, setting a new 6k XC school record and earning All-American honors.
When asked about her thoughts on this accomplishment, Cassidy reflected and expressed her joy, stating, "It was honestly so much fun. After being close to making nationals last year in both cross country and track, it was a very rewarding feeling to finally qualify for a national competition." Despite her focus on achieving All-American honors, Cassidy was pleasantly surprised to learn about breaking the school record post-race. "I had no idea I broke the school record until after the race when my coach told me. Achieving another school record never crossed my mind, but it made the race all that more special."
Former Head Coach Matt Lowe, proud of Cassidy's growth and dedication, commented on her remarkable season, saying, "I'm having a hard time describing what she's done this season because she's gained so much ground on improving herself as a student-athlete and as a person."
Coach Lowe highlighted Cassidy's ability to race both intelligently and aggressively, praising her decision-making during pivotal moments in the race. He added, "She has the ability to channel her energy to race hard when she needs to, and that's something coaches cannot teach." Describing the specifics of Cassidy's remarkable achievement, Coach Lowe highlighted her incredible comeback during the race, moving from 62nd place at the 1-mile mark to finish as the 27th fastest female cross-country runner in NCAA Division II.
Cassidy also emphasized the collective success of the women's team, noting, "I think it成人抖音also important to recognize how well the women成人抖音team did this season. We had four girls in the top ten at GNACs, and we also placed the highest we ever had at regionals, which provided great motivation and support for me going into a national competition."
As this historic cross-country season concludes, Cassidy Walchak-Sloan is eager to transition her success into the winter indoor track and field season, and chase some more records in the outdoor season.
