SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Senior Lauren Bonds earned an automatic bid to the 2009 Cross Country National Championships after an impressive fifth-place finish at the Midwest Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 14 in Springfield, Mo. As one of the top four finishers not on a nationals' qualifying team, Bonds will get the chance to compete in Terre Haute, Ind. on Nov. 23.

Bonds earned All-Region honors for the second consecutive year and became the only Kansas female runner to earn a ticket to nationals since 1994, when the KU women's team finished first in its region to receive an automatic bid. The Hutchinson, Kan., native positioned herself in sixth place for much of the race, but with less than a kilometer remaining, she kicked it in to pass Beverly Ramos of Kansas State, putting six seconds on the rival Wildcat in the final 200 meters. Bonds finished fifth in a field of 173 runners with a time of 20:49.10.

With Bonds leading the charge, the women's team finished 10th in the Midwest Region, collecting 247 total points. Sophomore Kara Windisch was the Jayhawks' No. 2 finisher, as she placed 42nd overall with a 6K time of 21:56.50. Windisch improved several places from her performance at the 2008 Midwest Regionals meet.

Senior Kellie Schneider was 63rd with a time of 22:25, while sophomore Rebeka Stowe was close behind in 68th place. Stowe clocked in a 22:39.90.

Rounding out the scoring for the Jayhawks was freshman Tessa Turcotte , who finished 95th with a time of 23:12.40. Freshman Kathleen Thompson also saw her first regional championships action, as she crossed the finish line in 24:32.50 to take 144th place.

The men's team took ninth place overall, which was a one-spot improvement from its regional ranking entering this event. The Jayhawks were once again led by sophomore Donny Wasinger , who finished in 35th place with a 10K time of 31:58.20.

Junior Nick Caprario and sophomore Zach Zarda both had strong races in Springfield as well, finishing as the Jayhawks' No. 2 and No. 3 runners. Caprario clocked in 32:23.60 to take 46th, while Zarda posted a 10K time of 32:35.50 to earn 52nd place in his first Midwest Regional Championship appearance.