UW-Eau Claire Collects Sixth Consecutive Women’s Cross Country Championship
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CUBA CITY, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire claimed its sixth consecutive title at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s cross country championship at Cole Acres Golf Course on Oct. 27.
The Blugolds earned the eighth league championship in program listings with 32 points. UW-La Crosse placed second with 69 points, UW-Oshkosh third with 71, UW-Stevens Point fourth with 90, UW-River Falls fifth with 135, UW-Whitewater sixth with 159, UW-Stout seventh with 168, UW-Platteville eighth with 256 and UW-Superior ninth with 270.
UW-Oshkosh’s Christy Cazzola became the first individual in WIAC history to win three straight individual titles and just the second to claim three overall first-place finishes. She completed the 6,000-meter course in a time of 21:16.0 to lead the field of 105 competitors. Only former Titan Tiffany Speckman has three overall titles to her credit, winning the race in 1994, 1996 and 1997.
UW-Eau Claire had a trio of individuals follow Cazzola. Ashlyn Mauer placed second with a time of 21:22.6, Madison Sawyer third in 21:58.9 and Steph Sjostrom fourth in 22:14.2. UW-River Falls’ Katie Rydeen placed fifth in 22:17.0, UW-La Crosse’s Natalie Powell sixth in 22:21.3 and UW-Stevens Point’s Julia Colling seventh in 22:22.0.
UW-Whitewater’s Alyssa Duncan finished eighth in 22:30.5, UW-Oshkosh’s Mackenzie Kelly ninth in 22:35.2, UW-La Crosse’s Rachel Schroeder 10th in 22:39.7, UW-Eau Claire’s Elaina Meurer 11th in 22:42.1, UW-Eau Claire’s Kelsey Jaeger 12th in 22:42.6, UW-La Crosse’s Corissa Conard 13th in 22:42.8 and UW-Stevens Point’s Ana Breit 14th in 22:55.7.
UW-Oshkosh’s Taylor Bauer placed 15th in 23:08.7, UW-Stout’s Baillye Durkin 16th in 23:09.3, UW-Eau Claire’s Alana Jenkins 17th in 23:10.0, UW-Oshkosh’s Allie DeBaker 18th in 23:11.3, UW-La Crosse’s Ellen Smith 19th in 23:12.0 and UW-Stevens Point’s Melissa Kohlhagen 20th in 23:12.3.
The top seven runners in the race received All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eight through 14 earned All-WIAC second team accolades. Individuals finishing 15 through 20 claimed honorable mention laurels.
Mauer and Rydeen were named co-recipients of the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school. Named to the squad were: UW-Eau Claire’s Jami Riley; UW-La Crosse’s Kristin Lillie; UW-Oshkosh’s Morgan Engelhart; UW-Platteville's Megan Knutson; UW-River Falls’ Kaylee Nelsen; UW-Stevens Point’s Lauren Dilley; UW-Stout’s Haleigh Flottmeyer; UW-Superior’s Kristen Jasperson; and UW-Whitewater’s Alysha Rendflesh.
All nine WIAC teams will return to action Nov. 10, and participate in the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional at Lake Breeze Golf Club in Winneconne, Wis. The regional event will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh. The NCAA Division III Championship is scheduled for Nov. 17, at LaVerne Gibson Course in Terre Haute, Ind., and will be hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Ind.).
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