Cross Country Catholic & Moravian Athletic Commmunications

Landmark Women’s Cross Country Standouts Shine at 2025 NCAA Championship

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Three Landmark Conference runners capped remarkable seasons on the national stage Saturday, as competitors from Catholic University and Moravian University represented the conference at the 2025 NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country Championships at the Roger Milliken Center, hosted by Converse College.

Catholic made program history with two national qualifiers in the same year, as sophomore Olivia Sobkowicz and junior Laurel McMahon took on the 6k championship course.

Sobkowicz surged her way through the field after sitting 237th at the 1k mark, steadily climbing each kilometer before finishing 137th of 294 runners in 23:05.5. Her biggest move came early, jumping 29 places between the first and second kilometer. The Landmark Rookie of the Year added yet another milestone to her résumé, recording the second-fastest 6k performance at NCAAs in program history and ranking as the 16th-fastest freshman in the entire field.

McMahon delivered a strong NCAA debut of her own, gaining 22 spots from her 1k position and making a notable 19-place surge in the second kilometer. She crossed the line 221st in 23:44.3, closing a season in which both she and Sobkowicz earned All-Landmark First Team honors. Together, the duo now owns the second and third-fastest NCAA Championship 6k times in Catholic history.

Moravian senior Tara Smurla wrapped up her exceptional career with her third straight NCAA appearance. Smurla climbed as high as 37th at the two-kilometer mark before finishing 182nd of 290 in 23:21.4. The Greyhound standout is no stranger to the national stage, having earned All-America honors in 2024 after placing 29th, following a 271st-place finish in her 2023 debut.