COLFAX, Wis. - The Red Hawks returned to Whitetail Golf Course for the newly created NCAA North Region Championships on Saturday, and in the process wrapped up a season for the history books.  2021 marked the first time of the new NCAA Cross Country regional realignment, which moved Ripon from the Midwest Regional to the new North Region, featuring the top Division III teams from Wisconsin and Minnesota.  
 
Highlighting the weekend was the finish from the women's team, as they recorded the highest regional finish in program history, placing 14th out of 32 schools.  The highest finish prior to Saturday was 16th back in 2004.  Leading the women's team across the line was senior Makaila Weddle as she took the course for the final time as a Red Hawk.  Weddle wrapped up her career in a big way as she dropped a 25 second lifetime best to place 36th overall, navigating the course in 23:06.  In doing so, she became the third fastest Red Hawk ever and her 36th place finish is the third highest women's individual finish in team history.
 
Weddle's teammates also wrapped up the season in a big way, with Mikayla Flyte, Natalie Pakosz and Isabelle Willett recording lifetime best performances.  Flyte placed 66th overall in a time of 23:44, improving 90 places from 2019, and is now the 18th fastest Red Hawk ever over 6k.  Pakosz dropped 10 seconds from her previous best and finished 98th overall, improving 127 places from the 2019 regional.  Willett made her regional debut placing 130th, breaking the 25-minute barrier for the first time, with a new personal best time of 24:54.  Junior Grace Engebretson also saw major improvement on her placing from 2019, as she improved 78 places to finish fourth for the Hawks and 108th overall in the race.
 
The men saw similar improvements as every runner in their top-five ran a new lifetime best.  David Potter was the familiar face up front for Ripon, as he placed 58th overall and broke the 26-minute barrier for the second time in his career, running a new PR time of 25:54.  Junior Sam Forstner went sub-27 minutes for his first time in a big way, running a time of 26:44 to finish 108th overall.  Sophomore Jonah DeCleene nearly eclipsed that same barrier as he improved 26 seconds on his best time, placing 127th in 27:08.  First-year runner Christian Kuwaye finished fourth for Ripon in 136th place in 27:25 (11 second improvement).  Senior Garrett Radtke culminated his career with a new lifetime best to finish in a scoring position for Ripon, as he finished fifth on the team and 143rd overall with a time of 27:41.  
 
Saturday's Regional race wrapped up an historic campaign for Ripon, following up the Midwest Conference Championships where a record seven Red Hawks earned All-Conference honors, the women's team recording their highest conference team finish since 2006, and multiple athletes climbed the all-time lists throughout the season on the men's and women's side.  
 
The Division III season will wrap up with the National Championship races next Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky.