SAUK RAPIDS, Minn. - Lindsay Cunningham continued her winning ways, taking top honors at the 2022 Bob Waxlax Invitational, hosted by St. Cloud State University.  As a team, the Winona State women finished second overall while the men's team took third in the final regular season race before the 2022 NSIC Cross Country Championships

At the Waxlax, Cunningham finished the course with a time of 19:58.8, well ahead of runner up Amanda Montplaisir from Minnesota State, Mankato who ran a 20:49.2.

Winona State's McKenna Taylor claimed third place with a time of 21:02.8 and Warrior teammate Kaylee Beyer was fourth at 21:15.5. WSU's Sophia Taarud also cracked the top-10, coming in ninth place at 22:29.5.    The Warriors earned a team score of 33 while Minnesota State, Mankato took first with a score of 28. The University of Minnesota Duluth was third at 74. 

For Cunningham, the win continued her streak of individual regular season championships, as the Wisconsin Dells, Wis. standout has won every regular season race she has entered while a part of the Warrior program. Cunningham's 2022 Waxlax time of 19:58.8 was nearly 90 seconds faster than her 2021 championship time of 21:25.7 on Oct. 7, 2021. 

In the men's race, Mitchell Johnstone was the top WSU finisher with a time of 25:20.2, good for eighth place overall. In addition to Johnstone's top-10 finish, Winona State had four other Warriors finish in the top-20, with Mitchell Buerkle (25:57.8), Andrew Metcalf (25:59.5) finishing 13th and 14th respectively. Warrior teammates Connor Hallaway (26:27.6) and Brady Omtvedt (26:29.5) were 19th and 20th overall. 

Winona State's 74 points as a team resulted in a third-place overall finish. Minnesota State, Mankato won the event with a team score of 27, while Minnesota Duluth was second at 38. 

Both programs move into preparations for the 2022 NSIC Cross Country Championships to be held at Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. on Saturday, Nov. 5.