For two former Marietta High School distance standouts, the finish line is finally in sight.

Jacob Malcomb, a senior at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., and Heather Stalter, a senior at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio, will compete in the NCAA Division III Cross Country National Championships Saturday at Highland Park Golf Course near Cleveland, Ohio.

Stalter received an individual at-large berth to the women's nationals after placing 14th in the Great Lakes Regional last weekend at Terra Haute, Indiana, with a time of 22:46.47 over 6,000 meters.

"I actually ran on the same exact course in 2007 for the OAC championships," Stalter said of the Baldwin-Wallace layout. "It's pretty hilly and pretty tough, and with the rain, I imagine it's going to be a little muddy."

Stalter said she didn't have a good experience on the course two years ago so she's hoping to redeem herself with a quality effort in the 11 a.m race Saturday.

"I'm not really nervous," she said. "I've trained hard and I'm excited to have the honor to run in this race with it being my last cross country race in college. I've worked really hard and I want to make it worthwhile. I want to finish strong and finish with dignity."

Stalter said she has been turning in some of her best times ever on both 5K and 6K courses this fall.

The course may be a little chopped up when the men's race gets under way at 12 noon.

Malcomb's St. Lawrence squad took fifth in the NCAA Atlantic Regional, hosted by SUNY Geneseo at Letchworth State Park at last Saturday, and subsequently received an at-large bid into the field for the second straight year. The Saints went into the Atlantic Regional ranked 17th nationally.

Individually, Malcomb placed 35th overall at the Atlantic Regional in 26:15.3 on the men's 8,000-meter course.

Malcomb said one of the unique features with the Baldwin-Wallace course is that the starting line is split with the field combining roughly 400 meters into the race. Depending on the density and dynamics of the two surges, runners must be more cautious about being boxed in by others.

"From what I've heard, it's not a very fast course," he said. "It's on a golf course with rolling hills so it's a true cross country course. One of my strengths is running hills, so that's good for me. And, I don't mind a little mud."

Malcomb said the Saints have four solid runners, and the goal of the team is to finish in the top 15 nationally.

"If we all can get into the top 100, individually, it will put is top 15 in the team standings," he said. "If we run well as individuals, it will help the team."

Malcomb and Stalter have stayed in touch during the season and texted each other after the regional races.

Malcomb intends to graduate this spring with a major in biology and a minor in African studies. He plans to take a year off from school before applying for graduate school.

Stalter, pursuing a degree in middle childhood education, is currently involved in pre-student teaching program, specializing in social studies with Brian Bailey's fourth grade class at Washington Elementary School near Marlington in northeastern Ohio. Once she graduates in the spring and secures a teaching position, Stalter plans to coach cross country and track at the high school or college level.

Since 1993, when Rick Guimond began coaching cross country at Marietta, the Tiger distance program has produced 22 collegiate runners, including two all-America performers in Kristo Kriechbaum (Carnegie-Mellon, steeplechase) and Katie Wieferich (College of Wooster, cross country and track).