FRANCISCAN'S BROTHER-SISTER DUO QUALIFIES FOR NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP

The Franciscan University and Penn State Behrend men's and women's cross country teams competed at the NCAA Mideast Regionals hosted by DeSales University on Saturday morning. The women competed in a field of more than 45 teams and 340 runners, while the men's teams ran against more than 50 teams and 350 runners. 

Baron senior Grace Galligan extended her final season as she qualified for the NCAA National Championship meet and led the Franciscan women's cross country team to a program-best 16^th place finish. Galligan, the AMCC Runner of the Year, finished sixth overall to qualify for the national meet and earn her second-straight all-region honor. She crossed the finish line with a time of 22:52, just 20 seconds off of the top runner from Johns Hopkins. Galligan will now continue her season at the NCAA National Championship for the first time in her career. Joining Galligan with all-region honors was freshman Mary Jo Schirger. Schirger took 29^th overall as she crossed the finish line at 23:52.6. 

The Behrend women finished 23^rd overall.  Leading the way for PSB was Riley Crissman who finished 62^nd overall with a time of 24:38.

After narrowly missing a spot in the National Championship meet last season, Baron sophomore Liam Galligan earned his way to Oshkosh after leading the Franciscan men's cross country team to a 13^th-place finish at the Mideast Regional. Galligan earned his spot on the national stage after a sixth-place finish with a time of 26:11, while also earning his second-straight all-region honors with his top-10 finish.

Behrend placed 23rd out of 52 teams. Leading the way for PSB was Zach Wortman who finished 97^th overall with a time of 28:10.

The brother-sister duo of Liam and Grace Galligan will now head to Oshkosh, Wisc. to compete at the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 17.