Behind All-American performances from senior Christina Crow and juniors Rujuta Sane and Kate Sanderson, the MIT women's cross country team claimed its first NCAA Division III National Championship on Nov. 23 at the LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Indiana. MIT entered the race as the No. 1 ranked team in the nation after winning its 17th straight NEWMAC conference title and its fourth straight NCAA East Regional Championship in 2024. The Engineers completed a historic season with a run for the record books, taking first in the 6K race to win their first national championship. The Engineers got out to an early advantage over the University of Chicago through the opening kilometer of the 6K race, with Sanderson among the leaders on the course in seventh place. MIT had all five scoring runners inside the top 30 early in the race. It was still MIT and the University of Chicago leading the way at the 3K mark, but the Maroons closed the gap on the Engineers, as senior Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel moved toward the front of the pack. MIT's top seven spread from 14th to 32nd through the 3K mark, showing off the team depth that powered the Engineers throughout the season....