Northwest Missouri State University women's cross country runner Olivia Bakker has been selected as an at-large selection to compete at the 2025 NCAA Division II Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships set for Nov. 22 in Kenosha, Wis.
 
Bakker, a sophomore from Overland Park, Kan., most recently secured fifth at the Central Region Championships, clocking in at 21:15.79, the second-best 6,000-meter in Northwest history. Bakker has led the Bearcats this season as the team's top finisher in four meets and has set a new personal record every race. 
 
Thirty-four teams were selected to participate in each regional championship. The top three, seven-person teams automatically qualified from each of the eight regions, for a total of 24 teams. Ten additional teams were selected at-large. A minimum of 24 additional individuals were selected to participate in each championship through an automatic qualifier and at-large selection process.
 
Bakker will be competing as an individual at the 2025 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships along with the Bearcats men's team who earned one of three automatic team berths after placing first overall at the Central Region Championship in Joplin, Mo., this past weekend.
 
The 2025 NCAA Div. II Cross Country Championships will be held Saturday, Nov. 22 at the Wayne E. Dannehl National Cross Country Course. University of Wisconsin-Parkside will serve as the host. The women's race will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern (10 a.m. Central), followed by the men's race at 12:15 p.m. Eastern (11:15 p.m. Central).