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Hershey, PA— The Tennessee Running Club capped off a standout season at the NIRCA Cross Country National Championships in Hershey, Pennsylvania, highlighted by Oliwia Wawrzyniak’s national title and a top-six team finish for the Lady Vols in the championship race. 

Oliwia Wawrzyniak dominated the women’s 6k championship race, crossing the line first in 20:34.8, nearly two minutes ahead of the runner-up from Illinois. Teammate Lauren Rutlin joined her in the top five with a time of 22:46.3, helping propel Tennessee to a sixth-place team finish out of 25. The Vols topped several powerhouse programs, including the University of Virginia, Georgia Tech, and the University of Kentucky.

Also contributing to the TRC women’s team effort were Lyndsey Aho (49th, 25:07.9), Jordan Wetzel (71st, 25:45.8), Mikayla Morrell (126th, 26:52.0), Bridget Boyle (130th, 26:54.6), and Kenzie Lefler (150th, 27:25.3) in a field of 188 runners. 

On the men’s side, TRC placed 35th overall in the 8k championship race, led by Ransom Lester (126th, 29:25.9) and Sean Kampas (186th, 30:35.2). Rounding out the team were Colby Smith (200th, 31:02.0), Daniel Leoni (205th, 31:18.3), Malte Gaber (216th, 31:54.5), Thomas Youse (217th, 31:55.9), and Cam Overton (219th, 32:24.2) among 239 competitors. 

In the underclassmen divisions, TRC saw several breakout performances. Dylan Leone finished 17th out of 293 in the men’s freshmen/sophomore 8k (29:23.3), followed by Holden Hackler (108th, 31:49.5) and Pierre Mongondouw (175th, 33:33.4). Ashlyn Shell (16th, 26:14.7), Callaway Wheeler (32nd, 26:55.2), Charlotte Ferguson (52nd, 28:08.9), and Abigail Wiechers (67th, 28:42.8) represented the Vols in the women’s freshmen/sophomore 6k. 

The upperclassmen races also had a strong showing. In the women’s junior/senior/grad 6k, Maddy McColl led the group with a 16th-place finish (27:14.4), followed closely by Lexi Hall (23rd, 27:44.3) and Maggie Dugan (27th, 27:52.8). Brenna Rooney completed the lineup in 31:28.5, placing 83rd out of 130 competitors.

On the men’s side, Luke Stewart placed 33rd (30:48.9) in the junior/senior/grad 8k, with Bryan Castellanos (162nd, 35:06.7) and Ty Young (168th, 35:20.5) following a field of 250 athletes. Young also competed earlier that morning in the men’s open 6k, where he placed 29th (24:08.1) out of 83 as part of the 14k challenge.

The TRC Volunteers closed out their season in Hershey with grit and momentum, showcasing the team’s growing depth across every division. From Wawrzyniak’s commanding national title to standout finishes from veterans and newcomers alike, TRC capped the fall season on a high note, cementing its place among the top programs in the collegiate club running. With the 2025 season in the books, the Vols turn their attention to the track season ahead, which starts in early February of 2026.