Bethany Hasz won the individual title in the Big Ten Women's Cross Country Championships and led the Gophers women's team to a runner-up team finish on Saturday in Shelbyville, Ind.
The redshirt senior from Alexandria, Minn., led the field over the entire 6K race, and it came down to a two-woman race between her and runner-up Bailey Hertenstein of Indiana.
Hertenstein surged with about 200 meters to go, but Hasz went with her and passed her to finish in 20 minutes, 13.2 seconds, two seconds ahead of Hertenstein.
"To get the first one and get that monkey off her back a little bit, of not just being the consistent really good runner, but to now be able to call herself a Big Ten champion — I'm so thrilled for her," Gophers coach Sarah Hopkins said. "She just does everything right, and she's such a joy to coach."
The only other Gophers woman to win in this event was Eileen Donaghy in 1987.
In the team standings, the Gophers had 76 points behind Michigan State with 48 points.
Abby Kohut-Jackson joined Hasz among the top 10 individual finishers, posting a career-best eighth-place (20:45.2). Jaycie Thomsen was Minnesota's third runner in 17th place (21:03.3), followed by Anastasia Korzenowski in 20th (21:11.6) and Megan Hasz, Bethany's twin, in 30th (21:26.2).
In the men's 8K race, the Gophers men finished seventh, led by Alec Basten in 17th (24:29.2) and Jordan MacIntosh (24:37.6). Wisconsin won the team title with 40 points.
