Nov. 14, 2011

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Julie Fricke received an invitation Sunday to represent the University of Maryland as an individual participant in the NCAA Division I Cross Country National Championships.

Fricke, a junior from Newtown, Pa., finished 13th on Saturday at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional hosted by UMES. She was one of four individuals who were not on advancing teams to be invited to Nationals by the NCAA.

"Julie has had a great season and this is a tremendous honor for her," said head coach Andrew Valmon. "Now that she's healthy she's had a breakout year, and this will be a wonderful finish to an outstanding season for her."

It was not immediately known the last Maryland women's runner to compete at the NCAA Cross Country Nationals. Fricke recently became the first Terrapin female since Kerrie Bowes in 1995 to earn All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors.

Fricke will join Alex Banfich of Princeton (who finished 4th overall at regionals), Jess Palacio of Navy (12th) and Alexis Mikaelian of Princeton (23rd) as the individuals from the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Villanova and Georgetown tied for first place in the women's team standings and earned the automatic team bids from the Mid-Atlantic. West Virginia, which finished third, and Penn State, which was fourth, picked up at-large team invitations on Sunday from the NCAA.

Fricke's appearance makes the fourth straight season Maryland has been represented at the national championships. Alex Lundy ran for the Maryland men in 2008 and 2009, while Greg Kelsey ran in the men's championship last year.

Indiana State University will host the Nationals on Nov. 21 in Terre Haute, Ind. The women's 6-kilometer race will begin at approximately 12:58 p.m.

A live webcast of the championships will be broadcast from noon to 1:30 ET on NCAA.com.

- Terps -