Parkersburg native finishes 199th in the nation
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Abby Herring made history before the gun even went off Saturday, becoming Marshall’s first female qualifier to the NCAA DI Cross Country National Championships.
The Parkersburg native solidified her place in Herd history, crossing the finish line with a 6K time of 21:30.5, finishing 199th out of 247 national qualifiers.
“Running at the National Championships was a surreal experience,” Herring said. “Being surrounded by so many talented individuals and decorated teams was awesome. I never would have envisioned myself to be on the start line here at the beginning of my college career, but with the help of my awesome coach, Caleb Bowen, and supportive teammates, I did!”
“I had so many people make the trip to Charlottesville to come and support me. I’ve been feeling all the love this past week from so many Marshall fans! All in all, I just feel super blessed to represent Huntington, West Virginia.”
“Today was awesome!” Coach Caleb Bowen said. “Getting to run the National Championship is such a great accomplishment and I’m so proud of everything Abby has done. It has been a blessing being her coach for these last 4 1/2 years and I’m blessed to have the opportunity to coach her for this last indoor and outdoor season.”
Florida’s Parker Valby won the individual championship, racing an 18:55.2. NC State won its third straight team title, scoring 123, finishing one point ahead of Northern Arizona with 124.
UP NEXT
The 2023 NCAA Cross Country season has come to a close. The Marshall Track and Field team starts its 2023-24 season at home for the Marshall Opener on Dec. 9 from the Chris Cline Athletic Complex.
Follow the team on Twitter and Instagram @HerdTFXC for coverage all season long of Marshall cross country.
**Press release Marshall University – HERDZONE – 11/18/2023 1:30:00 PM | Cross Country