STILLWATER, OKLA – High Point University women cross country’s Famke Heinst competed in the 2021 NCAA Cross Country Championship on Monday, March 15th. Heinst placed 209th with a time of 22:35.6. Heinst is the first High Point woman to compete in the NCAA Cross Country Championship since 2004. Heinst is only the second Panther participant to compete in an NCAA Cross Country National Championship.
“It was Famke’s first time here at a national championship in cross country, she is the first High Point woman to compete on this stage since 2004 and just the second in program history,” Coach Remy Tamer said. “I think she went into the race with a lot of perceived weight on her shoulders and I don’t know, I think the moment got the best of her just today. But as we spoke, no race, no one moment defines a person it is how they respond and move on. It is an accumulation of many moments put together and her trajectory over time. We talked together a lot after this race and although this was not what we both wanted or expected we know that this is not a failure if we extract some usable information from it. We will learn a lesson and look at the silver lining and use this experience to get better for track. Track season starts the second we touchdown in Charlotte. She is going to have to have a short memory and get back to work.”
Today’s race (March 15) marks the end of the most decorated and dominant cross-country career in Big South history. Heinst is the only runner in conference history to win four straight conference titles.
“Well obviously I was hoping to do better this was my first huge cross country meet like this and I think I just got a little freaked out and overwhelmed, High Point Senior Famke Heinst said. “I wanted to do better but I am going to learn from it and take it with me into the outdoor season. It was a tough course with the wind blowing like crazy and a lot of hills, and girls were falling everywhere it was quite the experience. I am disappointed but it was so cool to be out here and compete on a stage like this. As a senior, this is the last shot I had to qualify for NCAA Cross Country Championships. We came out here and just for like Coach Tamer, Coach Esposito, and all the support staff to come out, everybody at home was watching ESPNU and I got a million text messages before and after the race which was really cool. I am glad I was out there I was hoping to do better but overall it was a great experience and this will just fuel me for the outdoor season.”