In his first MIAC Championships, Connor Hitchcock added his name to the history books.

The St. Olaf freshman from Sitka covered the 8-kilometer course in St. Paul, Minn., in 26 minutes, 2.1 seconds to finish 14th, helping the Oles net their fourth consecutive conference title.

The senior-laden squad embodied the pack mentality, as a cluster of Oles were within seconds of each other through the first 2.5 kilometers of the race.

Hitchcock competed like a veteran, coming through the 5K mark in 16:22 and maintaining his top-25 position through the race’s entirety. He moved into the top-15 by the seventh kilometer and proceeded to drop a 3:05 kilometer — one of the fastest final kilometers in the field.

The Sitka High grad collected All-MIAC honors while finishing as the top freshman in the field, crossing the line as the Oles’ seventh runner. He averaged a pace of 5:13 per mile, finishing just eight ticks shy of his personal best.

The No. 21 Oles (D3) amassed just 33 points to run away with the team title, winning by 51 points, ahead of second-place Carleton College. The feat represented the second-largest margin by a winning team since 2015.

Competing in her first MIAC Cross Country Championships and just her second career 6K, Maddy Reckmeyer made a splash for the Carleton Knights.

The sophomore from Anchorage (Service) clocked 23:56.9 to finish 46th, slicing 1:04 from her two-week-old personal best, while averaging a pace of 6:25 per mile.

Reckmeyer also set a personal best in the 5K of 19:57, en route to her 6K time.

The No. 11 Knights (D3) dominated the team standings, accumulating just 30 points to earn their third title in four years, outdistancing runner-up St. Olaf by 50 points.

Also in the race was Ninilchik’s Adelyn McCorison, who finished 129th (26:46) for St. Scholastica.

In her third and final GMAC Cross Country Championships, Emily Walsh produced her best performance yet.

The Cedarville graduate student from Eagle River placed third, covering the 6K course in a personal-best of 20:47, averaging a blistering 5:34 per mile and leading the Yellow Jackets to the team title — their fourth in the past five years — in a 40-point victory over Walsh University, 27-67.

After a breakout track season that saw her earn All-American honors in the 1,500, set three program records (800, 1,500 and mile) and become the third-fastest Alaskan in the 1,500 (4:22.89), Walsh has been on a tear.

But the resurgence started even earlier, as Walsh placed 42nd at the Division II cross country championships last fall, after 1.5 years away from competition.

This season, Walsh has been firing on all cylinders, opening with a runner-up finish in her 6K season-opener (21:33). Then, she logged a lifetime best in the 5K (17:14) and dipped under the 21-minute barrier (20:49) for the first time, placing third at the UAH Chargers Invitational.

Now she is a two-time GMAC bronze medalist in cross country, while the No. 5 Yellowjackets (D2) remain undefeated against Division II competition this season.

At the ACC Championships, the Virginia men’s cross country team narrowly edged Syracuse, 61-65, to earn its first cross country conference title in nearly two decades.

Coached in part by Kodiak’s Trevor Dunbar, the No. 4 Hoos (D1) were buoyed by Gary Martin’s runner-up finish in 22:39 for 8K, while placing all five scorers in the top-25. It also marked the fifth ACC title in men’s program history and first since 2008.

“I am so proud of these men, sticking together, executing the plan, and finishing the fight,” said associate head coach Trevor Dunbar in a press release. “Syracuse ran a very strong race and gave us a great battle, hats off to them. We look forward to carrying this momentum into the rest of the postseason. Go Hoos!”

Over 20 Alaskans competed in 15 conference meets across the three NCAA divisions.

• Anchorage’s Tristian Merchant (MCCA) competed at the CUSA Championships, helping Liberty to a runner-up team finish behind Middle Tennessee State. Merchant, a junior, finished 21st in the 8K race, clocking 24:32 to cross the line as the Flames’ fifth runner. He earned third-team All-CUSA honors for his efforts.
• At the American Conference Championships, North Pole’s Lia Castillo secured a personal-best 22:19 for 6K to finish 54th. The UAB junior sliced 27 seconds from her time to finish as the Blazers’ fifth runner, while the team placed sixth out of 13.
• In his final WCC Cross Country Championships, Fairbanks’ Daniel Abramowicz (West Valley) placed a career best 21st, covering the 8K course in 24:01. The San Francisco graduate student improved by a staggering 25 positions since last fall. He was the Dons’ second runner, as the team finished fifth out of 10 teams.
• Anchorage’s Elizabeth Page (South) finished 23rd in a loaded field at the Centennial Conference Championships. The Swarthmore sophomore clocked 22:44 for 6K, finishing as her team’s second runner. Swarthmore finished third behind D3 juggernauts Johns Hopkins and Gettysburg.
• At the Northwest Conference Championships, Eagle River’s Emily Moore (Chugiak) led Puget Sound to a fourth-place finish out of eight teams. Moore, a sophomore, covered the 6K course in 23:16 to place 12th, moving up by an astonishing 13 positions since last fall. Juneau’s Annika Schwartz was also in the race, placing 42nd in 25:30 for Whitman, as the Blues took fifth.
• Anchorage’s Brady Burrough (South) competed at the loaded RMAC Championships, held at over 6,000 feet elevation. The Fort Lewis senior finished a career-best 46th, clocking 25:57 on the 8K course. Burrough finished as the sixth runner for the No. 24 Skyhawks (D2), who finished fifth out of 15 teams. Homer’s Brooke Miller was a part of Colorado Mesa’s sixth-place team, covering the 6K course in 23:56. The No. 11 Mavericks claimed their best RMAC finish in 11 years. Anchorage’s Madi Gifford (South) scored a 6K personal-best 25:17 for Regis (Colo.) in 108th, finishing as the Rangers’ third runner.
• At the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, Fairbanks’ Shane Fisher (West Valley) finished 31st, covering the 8K course in 25:29 and crossing the line as Little Rock’s third runner. Fisher, a junior, improved by 27 places since last fall, helping the Trojans take sixth out of 11 teams. Soldotna’s Annie Burns made her conference debut, finishing 72nd for UT Martin in a 6K personal-best 24:11.
• Homer’s Seamus McDonough lined up against a strong field at the NESCAC Championships. The Bowdoin junior placed 29th, navigating the 8K course in 25:18, finishing as his team’s top runner.
• At the Atlantic Sun Conference Championships, North Pole’s Madeline Castillo ran to a lifetime best while helping North Florida to a third-place showing out of 12 teams. Castillo, a sophomore, clocked a blistering 17:38 for 5K, slicing five seconds off her all-time PR and moving up a staggering 27 places from last fall. Homer’s Eryn Field was also in the race, placing 74th in 19:26 for Jacksonville.
• Anchorage’s Ellie Zock (South) set a personal best in her debut at the Mountain West Championships. The Wyoming freshman ran 22:16 for 6K, lopping nearly five seconds from her previous best. The Cowgirls finished sixth out of 12 teams.
• In his final Lone Star Conference Championships, Anchorage’s Aiden Zingone (Grace Christian) registered a career-best finish. The Lubbock Christian senior covered the 8K course in 27:10 to take 60th, improving by 11 places from last fall. Zingone was the fifth scorer for the Chaparrals, who took sixth out of 13 teams.
• Haines’ Avari Getchell made her conference debut at the Northern Sun Conference Championships. The Augustana (S.D.) sophomore finished 39th, covering the 6K course in 23:43, as the Vikings took fourth out of 16 teams.
• At the Conference Carolinas Championships, Fairbanks’ Miranda Wilkerson (Monroe Catholic) finished 62nd for Belmont Abbey. The sophomore clocked 27:43 for 6K, as the Crusaders took seventh out of 14 teams. Just ten places back was Anchorage’s Faith Carter (MCCA), who finished 72nd in 28:15 for King University, as the Tornados placed fifth.
• Anchorage’s Finn Rigby (East) competed at the SCIAC Championships, finishing 104th, as the No. 22 Sagehens (D3) finished runner-up to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
• At the HCAC Championships, Anchorage’s Alana Parent (Steller Secondary) finished 77th.

The NCAA Division II regional championships kick off this weekend, while Division I and Division III regionals will take place next weekend.

Other notable cross country performances by Alaskans:

• Anchorage’s Payton Smith (West) set a personal best at the Linfield George Oja Invitational. The Oregon State junior clocked 21:30 for 6K, slicing 40 seconds off her previous best.
• Juneau’s Ida Meyer placed sixth at the Sasquatch Invite. Competing unattached, Meyer set a lifetime best of 18:25 for 5K. Also in the race was Gonzaga senior Tawny Smith (Sitka), who clocked 18:46.
• Kenai’s Jayna Boonstra competed at the NAIA Great Lakes Challenge. The Carroll (Mont.) junior ran 19:00 for 5K, finishing as her team’s third runner, while the Fighting Saints took eighth out of 22 teams.
• Palmer’s Ella Hopkins (Colony) logged a personal best at the Monument Valley Park Open. The UC-Colorado Springs freshman clocked 23:09 for 6K, shaving 18 seconds off her previous best.
• Eagle River’s Ryleigh Ervin (Chugiak) collected a personal best at the Bradley Pink Classic. The Marquette freshman turned in a 6K time of 25:36, improving by 1:27 in just one month.