Hannah Steelman, a 2017 Orono High School graduate, qualified for the NCAA Division I cross-country championships for the second straight year on Friday morning.
Steelman, a junior at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, placed fifth overall at the NCAA Southeast Regional held at the University of Virginia’s Panorama Farms in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Steelman, a two-time Southern Conference cross-country champion, posted a time of 20 minutes, 8.1 seconds for the 6-kilometer race. The time was the second-fastest in school history at the distance.
Steelman was one of the top four individuals in the race who were not part of a qualifying team that advanced to the NCAA championships, along with Ivine Chemutai of Louisville, Paige Hofstad of North Carolina and Famke Heinst of High Point.
The Wofford women’s team posted a score of 604 points to finish 21st overall out of 43 teams.
“We had a plan for the race and stuck to it, which enabled us to accomplish our goals,” Wofford head coach Johnny Bomar said. “Hannah led for most of the race and for her to qualify as an individual in back-to-back years is a great achievement.”
The NCAA national championships will be hosted Saturday, Nov. 23, by Indiana State University. The women’s 6K will start at 11:15 a.m. on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.