TALLAHASEE, Fla. – Purdue cross country senior Curt Eckstein and junior Emma Tate finished the cross country season at the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 20, in Tallahassee, Florida.
Eckstein was 137th overall on the 10k course, while Tate was 156th in the 6k event at Apalachee Regional Park.
"Emma and Curt both went out there and represented Purdue with everything they had," Purdue coach John Oliver said. "We obviously were looking to compete higher. As the coach, that's something I'll look back at the season to see where we can prepare better for today. Emma competing here is a great representation for our women's team and their progress. Curt is one of a few Purdue four-time NCAA cross country competitors. That's a great achievement. Not everything will end the way you want, but that doesn't take away from the experience along the way."
At his fourth NCAA Championships and first competing individually, Eckstein finished in 30:29.7. He was one of three runners to finish in a 0.1-second span.
As she made her NCAA Cross Country Championships debut, Tate was 156th with a time of 20:49.5. She was the first Purdue woman to run at the national championship meet since 2017.
Eckstein and Tate qualified individually for the meet thanks to top-25 performances at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Evansville, Indiana, on November 12. Both earned All-Region honors, Eckstein for the fourth time in his career and Tate for the first time.
Saturday's NCAA Championships signaled the end of the cross country season. The indoor track & field season commences on Saturday, December 4, with the Fred Wilt Open at Lambert Fieldhouse.
For more on the Purdue cross country and track & field and program, visit PurdueSports.com/CrossCountry and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Eckstein was 137th overall on the 10k course, while Tate was 156th in the 6k event at Apalachee Regional Park.
"Emma and Curt both went out there and represented Purdue with everything they had," Purdue coach John Oliver said. "We obviously were looking to compete higher. As the coach, that's something I'll look back at the season to see where we can prepare better for today. Emma competing here is a great representation for our women's team and their progress. Curt is one of a few Purdue four-time NCAA cross country competitors. That's a great achievement. Not everything will end the way you want, but that doesn't take away from the experience along the way."
At his fourth NCAA Championships and first competing individually, Eckstein finished in 30:29.7. He was one of three runners to finish in a 0.1-second span.
As she made her NCAA Cross Country Championships debut, Tate was 156th with a time of 20:49.5. She was the first Purdue woman to run at the national championship meet since 2017.
Eckstein and Tate qualified individually for the meet thanks to top-25 performances at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional in Evansville, Indiana, on November 12. Both earned All-Region honors, Eckstein for the fourth time in his career and Tate for the first time.
Saturday's NCAA Championships signaled the end of the cross country season. The indoor track & field season commences on Saturday, December 4, with the Fred Wilt Open at Lambert Fieldhouse.
For more on the Purdue cross country and track & field and program, visit PurdueSports.com/CrossCountry and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.