Qualifying for the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships is no easy feat. Just 14 runners (7 men, 7 women) from non-qualifying teams at Regionals receive the privilege to run in the national championships.
 
The John Carroll University cross country program qualified three.
 
Becky Rohwer, Tadhg Karski, and Elliot Thorkelson will all be donning Blue and Gold this weekend at the final meet of the season, which will be held in Mason, Ohio on Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m.
 
"I'm very proud of those three," head coach Kyle Basista said. "But at the same time, it's good for the rest of the team to see that it is possible to get to that next level and get to the national championships. For having a young team and bringing back a lot for next year, it bodes well going into next year."
 
Rohwer looked to be a strong candidate for a bid following a phenomenal race at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, in which the sophomore finished fourth to earn all-OAC accolades for the second straight season.
 
Rohwer followed up with a 13^th place finish with a time of 22:16.6 at the NCAA DIII Great Lakes Regional race last Saturday. Rohwer's clinched the seventh spot to Nationals with her performance. 
 
"She peaked at the right time," Basista said of Rohwer. "She turned it on at the right time. When we had talked about taking it to Nationals, that was all she needed to hear to get her motivated and in the right mindset. On Saturday at Regionals, she went for it right from the gun and never looked back."
 
Karski also appeared to be poised for a bid to Nationals. Basista felt good about Karski's chances heading into the race.
 
"Tadhg had his best race ever [at OACs]," Basista said in the days leading up the race. "This sets him up to not only qualify individually, but to help the team by being near the top."
 
Karski justified his coach's confidence, placing 10^th overall at 24:54.6. The senior not only led the Blue Streaks to a program-best fifth place finish, but earned a trip to Nationals as the fifth non-advancing team individual.
 
"His goal all along, even into last season, was to qualify for Nationals," Basista said. "There wasn't anything or anyone who was going to stop him. I'm excited to see what he can do."
 
Thorkelson entered Regionals in a different situation, as freshmen rarely make the cut. Entering Saturday's race, no JCU freshman runner had ever reached Nationals. Few could have expected the youngster make such a leap in his first collegiate season.
 
That didn't stop the Cleveland native from pulling off an impressive performance. Thorkelson finished in 17^th with a time of 24:58.7, earning all-region honors. The freshman still had to wait until the next day for his fate.
 
The Cleveland native received happy news late Sunday afternoon, as Calvin College received an at-large bid, leaving the seventh non-qualifying individual bid for Thorkelson.
 
"I was super excited, I was waiting anxiously to see the results if he made it in," Basista said. "I thought it was a possibility, maybe not realistic, going into the day. He had no idea.
 
"Elliot is just a competitor," Basista continued. "He doesn't really understand the stage, but it doesn't really matter because every single race he's going to go out and give it his all. It's great that he's able to compete at the national championships as a freshman. I'm excited to see what he can do."
 
Basista and the Blue Streaks can take a great deal of pride in sending three races to Nationals, a special accomplishment for any team. But the season is not over yet.
 
"All of them are happy to be there, but none of them are content at all or satisfied," Basista said. "All three are going to go out there and race to their highest ability levels. They are going to go for it."
 
The men's race will begin at 11 a.m. and the women's competition will start at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. For a full schedule, live results, and visitor information, visit the official meet site HERE.