LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Indiana Wesleyan University women’s cross country took part today in the huge 2013 Greater Louisville Cross Country Classic at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky.

There were a total of 43 teams to run in the race with Indiana Wesleyan and 17 of those were NCAA Division I programs. Although the teams all ran together, the Division I programs had their own score while the Division II, Division III, and NAIA programs had theirs.

Indiana Wesleyan was eighth of the 26 teams and was first of the NAIA programs. IWU defeated NAIA programs such as No. 22-ranked Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and two teams receiving votes in Emmanuel (Ga.) and Cumberlands (Ky.).

Indiana Wesleyan finished with 245 points and tied with Division II Bellarmine (Ky.). Division III Hope (Mich.) won the invitational with 91 points and Northwood (Mich.) and Wingate (N.C.), both Division II programs, were second and third place, respectively.

Indiana Wesleyan raced in a strong pack today among the 329 total runners in the race. The top five for Indiana Wesleyan finished the race a mere eight seconds apart. The next two for IWU were not far behind as they crossed the line 16 seconds later.

Sophomore Isabel Wharton was the first Wildcat to cross the finish line in 84th place in the full race standings with a time of 19:37. Wharton was joined by senior Kayla Ewert as she also ran a 19:37 for 85th place. Junior Taylor Hite was third in 19:42 for 94th position, sophomore Brooke Horswell was next at 19:44 for 98th place, and the final scorer was senior Christina Sandberg in 101st place with a time of 19:45.

Rounding out the Indiana Wesleyan team were senior Alyssa Foss and sophomore Julie Kamp. Foss ran a time of 19:54 for 116th place and Kamp earned a 20:01 and was 127th place.

Indiana Wesleyan will next compete at the Kansas Pre National Meet on October 12 in Lawrence, Kansas. The meet is being held on the same course that the NAIA national championship will be run in November.