FREMONT, Neb. -- Finally, Erin Keitges and Kara Nelson will have teammates running with them at the NAIA National Cross Country Championships.

Keitges finished fourth and Nelson was fifth for a Morningside College women's cross country team that advanced to the national meet with a third-place finish at Saturday's Great Plains Athletic Conference meet, held at Valley View Golf Course and hosted by Midland Lutheran College.

Coach Dave Nash's Morningside squad, which is ranked 12th nationally, advanced to the NAIA national meet for the first time in team history. Nebraska Wesleyan outscored ninth-ranked Concordia 29-64 for the title, but the meet's champions, who won the GPAC for a second straight year, won't advance to the national meet because they compete in NCAA Division III.

Keitges, a senior from Allen, Neb., was clocked in 18:34.32 while Nelson, a junior from Cherokee, Iowa, had a 18:36.60 time on the 5,000-meter course. It'll be Keitges' fourth national appearance while Nelson will make her third trip.

The NAIA national meet will be held Nov. 21 at Vancouver, Wash.

Lydia Ford of Morningside finished 17th in 19:15.59. Also figuring in the team scoring for the Mustangs were Lydia Ford (17th, 19:15.59), Tabitha Shepherd (20th, 19:22.71) and Nicole Seier (35th, 19:52.12).

Jessica Clark (43rd, 20:10.64) and Lisa Grosvenor (60th, 20:42.15) will also run for Morningside at the national meet.

Northwestern's women, fourth at the meet with 114 points, will send three individuals to the national meet. Charity Niles finished 10th (18:51.29) for the Red Raiders along with teammates Allison Weeldreyer (23rd, 19:34.80) and Teresa Scholten (24th, 19:35.83).

However, considering the fact that Nebraska Wesleyan's scoring was taken out for NAIA qualifying purposes, Weeldreyer finished 17th and Scholten took 18th (the top 20 runners qualify for nationals).

Dordt's Michelle Steiger also qualified for the national meet with an eighth-place 18:47.64.

Jackie Spelts of Nebraska Wesleyan won the women's meet in 17:53.85.

Fourth-ranked Concordia outscored Nebraska Wesleyan 26-72 to win the GPAC men's cross country crown. Third-place Doane scored 80 points and also qualified for the national meet.

Concordia's Zach Meineke was the individual champion for the second straight season, timed in 24:53.61 on the 8,000-meter course.

Again, with Nebraska Wesleyan's scoring taken out for NAIA qualifying purposes, the top 20 runners qualified for the national meet. Dordt's Brent Van Schepen, 15th in the GPAC, took 13th (25:59.72) and Mount Marty's Titus Kosgei, 25th in the GPAC, was 17th (26:30.10).

Morningside's Brian Gesink finished 31st (26:57.50), but took 23rd in the NAIA scoring.

WOMEN'S RESULTS

Team scoring: Nebraska Wesleyan 29, Concordia 64, Morningside 81, Northwestern 114, Doane 127, Hastings 176, Dordt 195, Sioux Falls 236, Mount Marty 255, Dana 256, Briar Cliff 292, Dakota Wesleyan 348, Midland Lutheran 418.

Top individuals: 1, Jackie Spelts, Nebraska Wesleyan, 17:53.85; 2, Haley Sutter, Nebraska Wesleyan, 18:29.75; 3, Jena Schwalenberg, Concordia, 18:32.88; 4, Erin Keitges, Morningside, 18:34.32; 5, Kara Nelson, Morningside, 18:36.60; 6, Hannah Kinberg, Nebraska Wesleyan, 18:37.15; 7, Viviana Arreola, Doane, 18:44.71; 8, Michelle Steiger, Dordt, 18:47.64; 9, Katie Nelson, Nebraska Wesleyan, 18:49.53; 10, Charity Miles, Northwestern, 18:51.29; 11, Amanda Costello, Nebraska Wesleyan, 18:52.62; 12, Alicia Marteney, Concordia, 19:01.37; 13, Ashley Unruh, Sioux Falls, 19:06.53; 14, Alyssa Farmer, Hastings, 19:09.63; 15, Emilie Bourret, Concordia, 19:12.78; 16, Ann Hershberger, Concordia, 19:14.32; 17, Lydia Ford, Morningside, 19:15.59; 18, Dana Kluthe, Concordia, 19:15.91; 19, Cammi Collier, Hastings, 19:20.26; 20, Tabitha Shepherd, Morningside, 19:22.71; 21, Yadira Salazar, Doane, 19:28.98; 22, Kate Hannon, Nebraska Wesleyan, 19:33.65; 23, Allison Weeldreyer, Northwestern, 19:34.80; 24. Teresa Scholten, Northwestern, 19:35.83; 25, Rebecca Mol, Concordia, 19:42.13.

MEN'S RESULTS

Team standings: Concordia 26, Nebraska Wesleyan 72, Doane 80, Dana 149, Dordt 156, Hastings 157, Morningside 201, Dakota Wesleyan 263, Sioux Falls 265, Northwestern 269, Mount Marty 270, Midland Lutheran 321, Briar Cliff 347.

Top individuals: 1, Zach Meineke, Concordia, 24:53.61; 2, David Goeglein, Concordia, 24:59.65; 3, Edwin Ronoh, Doane, 25:18.46; 4, Sufian Kimo, Doane, 25:19.41; 5, Logan Watley, Nebraska Wesleyan, 25:23.58; 6, Dana Schmidt, Concordia, 25:33.89; 7, Tyson Billings, Concordia, 25:36.95; 8, Bryan Eicher, Hastings, 25:37.71; 9, Paul Garcia, Doane, 25:40.44; 10, Jon Grotefendt, Concordia, 25:41.07; 11, Colin Morrissey, Concordia, 25:42.43; 12, Thomas Madut, Dakota Wesleyan, 25;49.85; 13, Brian Copley, Nebraska Wesleyan, 25:54.88; 14, Luka Thor, Concordia, 25:56.36; 15, Brent Van Schepen, Dordt, 25:59.72; 16, Neil Wolford, Nebraska Wesleyan, 26:07.71; 17, Kip Schuler, Dana, 26:08.74; 18, Ryan Osberg, Nebraska Wesleyan, 26:09.53; 19, Andrew Palmblade, Dana, 26:12.75; 20, Mike Rathje, Nebraska Welseyan, 26:14.73; 21, Joe Noyes, Sioux Falls, 26:15.17; 22, Kyle Wagner, Nebraska Wesleyan, 26:16.10; 23, Tim Stewart, Nebraska Wesleyan, 26:16.88; 24, Ben Paben, Nebraska Wesleyan, 26:21.23; 25, Titus Kosgei, Mount Marty, 26:30.10.