BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Franklin College women's cross country team lined up for their first post-season race of the year on Saturday (Oct. 29) afternoon, taking on runners from nine other league teams at the 2022 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) Championships.
 
The Grizzlies had three runners earn All-Conference honors and the team produced its highest finish since 2014, placing third overall with 76 team points.
 
Sophomores Haley Makowski and Ella Bashor earned First Team All-Conference with finishes in the top-12 while junior Mallory Watson earned Honorable Mention All-HCAC with a top-20 showing. Makowski became a two-time all-conference selection with a fifth-place finish in the 6K race, hitting the end line in 24:11.4. Bashor also became a two-time all-conference runner with a 10^th place showing, clearing the final mark with a time of 24:21.3.
 
Watson earned her first career all-conference finish with a 17^th place showing and a time of 25:04.6. Seniors Jill Anspaugh and Angelina Gregory just missed the all-conference threshold, with Anspaugh taking 22^nd in 25:31.8 and Gregory placing 24^th in 25:39.3. Freshman Wynn Wellington wasn't too far behind her teammates in 26^th place with a time of 25:49.8.
 
Also competing in the race for Franklin were: Josie Lyons (26:47.9), Bailey Duncan (26:53.9), Emily Rector (27:56.5), Lex Desenberg (28:05.7), Abby Eads (29:36.7), Brantley Wathen (34:19.3), Hannah Beck (35:01.4) and Natalie Venable (41:21.7).
 
The Grizzlies are off for two weeks to prepare for the 2022 Great Lakes Regional, which is set for Saturday, Nov. 12 in Holland, Mich.