The 32-ranked Haverford College women's cross country team makes its second consecutive and third appearance in the last four years at the NCAA championship this Saturday in Waverly, Iowa. The Fords were one of 16 teams given an at-large bid to the 32-team field.

Haverford finished fourth at the NCAA Mideast Regional last Saturday and will be one of five teams from the region racing in the championship. Centennial Conference opponents Johns Hopkins University and Dickinson College were automatic qualifiers by finishing first and second, respectively. Elizabethtown College (third at regional) and Grove City College (fifth at regional) also received at-large bids.

Leading the way for the Fords will likely be Emily Lipman, who is no stranger to this meet. Last season she earned All-America honors, finishing 24th. As a freshman, Lipman qualified for the championship and finished 87th. At last Saturday's regional she placed 16th, to earn her third consecutive All-Mideast Region honor.

Alice Vienneau (23:33.70) and Harper Hubbeling (23:35.80) took 33rd and 35th, respectively, joining Lipman on the all-region team. Vienneau and Hubbeling have experience on their side as well. At last year's NCAA championship meet both scored for the Fords who finished 30th.

Andrea Tocci followed Vienneau and Hubbeling across the finish line at last year's championship and hopes to follow suit again. She placed 43rd at the regional last Saturday to round out the Fords' scoring. Freshman Emily Scott, Erin Seglem and Flora Berklein all ran in the regional and hope to put forth solid efforts again.

Saturday's race is hosted by Wartburg (Iowa) College at the Max Championship Cross Country Course in Waverly, Iowa, and gets underway at noon.