Blue Demons Close 2026 Season at NCAA Midwest Regional

Friday, November 13

Ames, Iowa.

11:00 A.M.

DePaul University

NCAA Midwest Regional Championships

11/13/2026 4:08:00 PM | CROSS COUNTRY

Four Blue Demons record all-time top-10 performances in season finale

AMES, Iowa – DePaul men's and women's cross country concluded their 2026 season Friday afternoon at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships hosted by Iowa State.

Tessa Roe led the women's squad in the 6K, placing 58th with a personal-best time of 20:42.2, moving into third on DePaul's all-time list. Isabella Orozco followed in 74th, clocking 20:51.6 to secure her second-straight personal best and improve her fifth-ranked all-time mark. The duo improved on their performances at the BIG EAST Championships just two weeks earlier, continuing their strong postseason form.

Freshman Ava Helmbrecht crossed the line in 21:49.2 for 145th, while Sammi Rastrelli (22:12.7) and Cece Hilby (23:01.2) completed the women's scoring five.

"Tessa and Isabella ran excellent, aggressive races and both delivered their best cross country postseason performances," said head coach Geoff Wayton. "We knew we were bringing a young squad and giving our freshmen that postseason experience was important. We're proud of how they took advantage of the opportunity."

On the men's side, Mason Krieg paced the Blue Demons in the 10K, finishing 86th in 30:34.9 to record the third-fastest time in program history. Alex Krieg followed in 105th with a time of 30:56.8, ranking sixth on DePaul's all-time list. Bryce Counihan (31:34.0), Daniel Grauer (31:46.4) and Jackson Hopkins (32:24.3) rounded out DePaul's scoring five.

"The Krieg brothers were fantastic," Wayton added. "Alex was aggressive from the start and Mason ran a great race that we are excited to see translate into the track season. I was really happy with how the team competed and represented DePaul."

SEASON IN REVIEW
The regional championships capped off a successful fall campaign that featured 18 additions to DePaul's all-time top-10 performance lists, two men's team victories and a historic showing at the BIG EAST Championships.

The Blue Demons opened the season with individual victories for Kalina Urbaniak and Alex Krieg at the Huskie Opener, where the men's squad also claimed the team title. Both teams earned runner-up finishes at the National Catholic Invitational before the men secured another victory at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational. Urbaniak also received BIG EAST Athlete of the Week honors on Sept. 23.

At the BIG EAST Championships, the women's team recorded its best finish in program history, placing fifth, a three-position improvement from 2025. The men's squad placed seventh, with Mason Krieg moving to fifth on DePaul's all-time 8K list.

UP NEXT
With the cross country season complete, the Blue Demons now shift their focus to the upcoming indoor track and field season.

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