University of Tampa freshman Lilah Yoder was selected as the Sunshine State Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week for the week ending Oct. 11, following a third-place finish in her collegiate debut at the FSU XC Invitational.
Yoder, a Grand Rapids, Michigan, native, completed the six-kilometer course in 21:56.3. She moved from seventh at the opening checkpoint to fourth at four kilometers before reaching third by the five-kilometer mark.
Yoder helped University of Tampa win team championship
Yoder also helped the University of Tampa win the team championship with 37 points. Tampa finished nine points ahead of runner-up Jacksonville State.
The University of Tampa placed five runners among the top 12 in a 16-team field that included eight NCAA Division I programs. Yoder’s third-place finish led the team’s performance in her first collegiate race.
The other nominees for the award were Nathalia Mallo of Eckerd, Grace Reed of Florida Southern and Sophie Kyle of Nova Southeastern.
Sunshine State Conference context
The Sunshine State Conference was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The conference sponsors 21 NCAA Division II sports, while its member institutions have won 144 NCAA national championships across 15 sports.
The conference reported an 89% Division II Academic Success Rate and said it set an NCAA Division II record with nine national team championships in 2025-26.
FSB Take
Yoder’s award recognizes a debut that combined individual improvement with a team championship. Her move from seventh to third during the race, along with Tampa’s five top-12 finishes, provided the foundation for the University of Tampa’s 37-point victory at the FSU XC Invitational.
Source: Original report