MILWAUKEE, Wis. – After not only bringing home an individual league title, but also helping lead the Panther team to a Horizon League team title just three days ago, senior Meg Swietlik of the Milwaukee women's cross country team has been officially announced as part of the 2020 NCAA Cross Country Championships field.
 
This year's championships – postponed from the usual Fall season to the Spring of 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – will be hosted by Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., on March 15.
 
"We are extremely proud and excited for Meg earning this opportunity to represent Milwaukee at the NCAA Cross Country Championships," said head coach Andrew Basler. "After missing by one spot last year, Meg has really committed this past year to improving all areas of her life in order to be in this position to run with the best in Division I. She is more than ready to go out there and run fast with the rest of the country's best."
 
Earlier this year, the NCAA announced the cancellation of traditional regional cross country meets and adjusted the qualifying for the NCAA Championships accordingly, giving automatic bids to each individual conference champion.
 
One year ago, Swietlik earned all-region honors at the Great Lakes Regional. She broke the school 6k record with a time of 20:57.6 and came in 24th overall, missing a berth to Nationals by just one spot.
 
Swietlik will be the first Milwaukee female and just the second Panther (joining Chad Zehms, 1995) to compete at Cross Country Nationals in the program's Division-I history.
 
Despite the scheduling challenges, it has truly been a season to remember for Swietlik. Just three days ago, she cruised to a Horizon League individual crown with a time of 21:33.3 – even more impressive considering it was Milwaukee's first cross country meet of the year. Her efforts also helped lead Milwaukee to a team title – its second in the last three years.
 
"Also, a lot of credit goes to distance coach Jake Reilly and his guidance in getting Meg prepared for this far-from-ordinary cross country season," said Basler. "Coach Reilly's commitment to pushing Milwaukee's distance program to new heights is apparent in the success Meg, and our entire distance program has had since Coach Reilly took over." 
 
The Elm Grove native was also named the Horizon League Cross Country Athlete of the Year following the incredible success at this year's championships.
 
That all comes after a remarkable indoor season on the track where she was also named the Horizon League Athlete of the Year, becoming just the second Panther to earn the league's top honor in both and a track and cross country season, joining Leah Holmes (2015 cross country, 2016 indoor track and field).
 
Swietlik also brought home an individual title on the track in the 5k just over one week ago, helping the Panthers to a runner-up finish as a team. In fact, Swietlik has finished first in all of her races so far as a senior, including breaking the school indoor 5,000m record with a time of 16:41.28. That time – run on a 200m track and adjusted accordingly – ranks her 57^th in that nation this year.
 
Next Monday's National Championships will be streamed live on ESPNU. Coverage is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. Central, with the women's 6k set to run at 11:50.