Track and Field head coach Erik Jenkins said junior cross country runner Janet Jesang has been setting the pace for Western’s program, and now all she has to do is set the pace for the NCAA Championship.

Jesang qualified for her second-straight NCAA Cross Country Championship as she finished third in the Southeast Regional on Saturday.

She improved four spots from her seventh place finish last year with a time of 20:34.0 in the 6,000-meter course.

“She has done a great job of improving since she has gotten here and has shown she wants to compete at the national level,” Jenkins said.

Jesang finished 47th in last year’s NCAA Championship, and Jenkins said she just has to go in and keep doing what she has been doing to improve on that.

As a team, the Lady Toppers finished 13th in the field of 33 while the men finished 22nd.

“Both the men’s and women’s did an excellent job in competing,” Jenkins said. “We are very happy for our program.”

Junior Patrick Jenkins led the men with a 48th place finish of 32:06.7 on the 10,000-meter course.

Jesang will represent Western on Monday in Terre Haute, Ind.