For the first time in 30 years, the women’s cross country conference champion was awarded to a Blugold.

Senior Lucy Ramquist toured the 6k course for the second time this season, this time finishing in 21:57 this past weekend at Lake Breeze Golf Course, in the meet hosted by UW-Oshkosh.

Ramquist wasn’t alone for the majority of the race. UW-Stout runner Kathleen Thorn kept up with Ramquist for the majority of the race, until Ramquist pulled away the last 800 meters.

Ramquist crossed the finish line ten seconds before her competitor.

Thorn and Ramquist had been racing against each other all season long, she said, which Ramquist used to her advantage.

“I know she’s going to be there, and I know I’m going to be racing her,” Ramquist said. “I prepared for it. Everytime I visualized the race, I would picture myself next to her, because I knew we would be neck and neck the majority of the time.”

Overall, the women’s team finished third in the WIAC, behind Oshkosh and UW-La Crosse, who finished first and second, respectively.

Senior Clara Williamson finished in the top-seven and earned First Team All Conference accolades. Williamson was the fourth runner to cross the line with a time of 22:28.

The men’s team also came home from Oshkosh successful, as they won the WIAC as a team. Junior Josh Thorson was the frontrunner for the Blugolds, coming in second at 24:49 in the 8k.

Senior Ryan Mugan and Sophomore Darin Lau weren’t far behind Thorson, as they came in third and fourth place, with times of 25:00 and 25:04, respectively.

Head coach Dan Schwamberger said the trio has worked together for the entirety of the season, which has come together naturally.

“The last couple races, they’ve worked together and then (Thorson) will take off a little bit, and Mugan and (Lau) just kind of follow,” Schwamberger said. “It’s been working out really well, and … hopefully it can continue in the next couple weeks.”

Schwamberger said he will rest the top-eight runners for the regional meet, coming up Nov. 14 in Moline, Illinois.

Before the regional meet, Schwamberger said he’ll be taking the next top-12 men and top-13 women to the JV Cup on Friday, hosted by Luther College (Iowa).

Schwamberger said historically, the JV Cup has been a “great” meet for both teams.

“It’s really allowed some of our younger runners to kind of show their potential,” He said. “It’s cool because it kind of gives me an idea of what next year’s team is going to look like.”

The women’s 6k race starts at 3:30 p.m. Friday, followed by the men’s race at 4:15 p.m.