The Valparaiso women's cross country team finished its 2002 campaign with a 23rd place finish at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships in West Lafayette, Ind. on Saturday morning.

Notre Dame won the title with Michigan finishing second to earn the automatic bids to the national championships. The Crusaders tallied 651 points in the meet.

Elizabeth Whiting (Parma, Mich./Western H.S.) led the Crusaders with a 92nd place finish with a time of 23:22 over the six-kilometer course. Rachel Nelson (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit H.S.) was 14 seconds behind Whiting in 108th place.

Amanda Lee (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon H.S.) finished third for the Brown and Gold, 145th overall, with a time of 24:30, while Amy Mikel (Lemont, Ill./Fenwick H.S.) was three spots behind.

Rachel Stoehr (Antigo, Wis./Antigo H.S.) rounded out the Crusaders scorers with a 158th place finish in a time of 24:41.
Heidi Nathan (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford H.S.) and Jobeth Schmiesing (North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West H.S.) rounded out the Valpo line-up with times of 24:52 and 25:14 respectively.