SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UW-River Falls junior Laina Viere capped her 2025 season on Saturday morning at the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championship, placing 200th overall with a time of 23:30.1 at the Roger Milliken Cross Country Course.

Viere advanced to nationals after a standout performance at the NCAA North Regional, where she finished 17th of 207 runners in 22:31.6 and earned All-Region honors for the second time in her career. Her qualification made her the first Falcon to reach the NCAA Championship since Linsey Tolkkinen in 2018, adding her name to an accomplished list of UWRF national qualifiers that includes Abby Fouts (2017), Tia Harris (2013), and three-time All-American Becca Jordahl (2006–08).

This fall, Viere consistently led the Falcons and recorded another top-20 finish within program history, ranking fifth all-time among UWRF women's 6K performances. Her national appearance closes a season defined by postseason success and another major step forward in her junior campaign.