WKU XC: Dye and Kunkel Set to Represent WKU at NCAA Regionals
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Cross Country’s Kinley Kunkel and Mary Dye are set to compete in the 2024 NCAA Southeast Regionals Friday Morning in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The meet will be hosted by Winthrop and visit York County.
MEET INFO
Winthrop University Recreation Complex
Women’s 6K, 9:30 A.M. CT
Live Results
Meet Central
ABOUT THE TOPS
This marks the first time the Hilltoppers will have competitors in the NCAA regional meet since 2022.
For Kunkel, this marks her first trip to an NCAA event. The native of Bedford, Ky. has led the Tops in three races this season.
Mary Dye, a senior from Louisville, Ky. will be competing in her third NCAA cross country regional.
At the CUSA Championships in early November, Dye and Kunkel were both named Third Team All-CUSA. Dye led the Hilltoppers with a 16th place finish. Kunkel followed, claiming 21st.
For Dye, in the 6k race this season, her PR was set at the Angel Mounds Invitational, finishing in 21:19.
Kinley Kunkel also had her personal best in the same race at Angel Mounds. Her PR time of 21:15 was good enough for a second place finish.
QUOTABLE
Sophomore Kinley Kunkel said “This is my first regional and I think we are really fit and ready to run fast.”
For expectations, Senior Mary Dye said “Knowing our training and how much we have put in, I’m expecting both of us to do pretty well. For myself, my personal goal is to beat my PR.”
MEET HISTORY
Last season, the NCAA Southeast Region was hosted by the University of South Carolina Upstate and was held in Spartanburg, S.C.
The women’s individual winner was Katelyn Tuohy from North Carolina State. The Wolfpack also took the team title in 2023.
SCOUTING THE FIELD
The Southeast Region Championship includes teams from Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and South Carolina, at Winthrop Farms. Including WKU there are 49 teams set to line up on Friday morning.
Teams from Kentucky lining up against the duo include Bellarmine, EKU, Kentucky, Louisville, Morehead State, and Murray State.
The lone other competitor from Conference USA is the 2024 Champion Liberty Flames.
1974 TEAM
Saturday, the 1974 Hilltopper NCAA Runner Up Cross Country Team will be inducted into the WKU Athletics Hall of Fame. This season marks the 50th anniversary of the team.
All-American Nick Rose was the individual national champion and the Hilltoppers claimed team second place honors, capping a season that saw WKU fail to cross the finish line in first place only once in nine events.
