CEDAR RAPIDS – Cornell sophomore Lidia Dahlman entered the Midwest Conference Cross Country Championships as a top women's contender, although not the favorite.
 
She left Seminole Valley Park Saturday afternoon all smiles – as the individual champion, MWC Championships record holder and course record holder.
 
What a day it was for Dahlman, who crushed her lifetime-best 6K mark by 91 seconds with a blistering winning time of 21:00. She beat race favorite Joley Berger of Ripon by nine seconds.
 
Dahlman took down the previous MWC Championships 6K record of 21:05, set by St. Norbert's Jenny Scherer in 2010. She destroyed the course record of 21:48, established by Benedictine's Natasha Ortiz in 2023.
 
Dahlman, who finished 10th last year, became Cornell's first individual champion since MariKate Murphy in 2017.     
 
Coach Jerry Frawley's Rams fielded five all-conference (top 20) performers and finished runner-up in the nine-team field with 51 points. Grinnell placed five runners in the top 15 and posted a winning score of 40 points.
 
Saturday marked Cornell's highest team finish since winning the title in 2015, also the last time the Rams hosted the Championships.
 
Cornell senior Mackenzie Engbert earned her first career MWC medal, crossing eighth out of 94 finishers in a personal-best 22:01. Senior Alyza Koppes gained all-conference status for the third time, the sixth Ram to achieve that feat. She placed 12th in 22:15.
 
Senior Ava Claussen-Tubbs placed 13th (22:20) in a strong MWC debut. Sophomore Carley Seeley was the fifth Ram to medal, taking 17th in 22:37.   
 
The Rams had five other individuals finish in the top 50. Milar Little was 30th (23:28), Zoe Peesel 31st (23:29), Gretchyn Fairlie 39th (23:53), Murray Page 47th (24:35) and Sophie Stumbo 50th (24:47).
 
Coming up – The Rams will send select runners to Luther's Saga Cup Friday in Decorah. The Midwest Region Championships are Nov. 15 in Waverly.