Cross Country Teams Aim for High
National Finishes This Weekend
Optimism is high for the UW-Stevens Point
men�s and women�s cross country teams as both set their sights on high
finishes at this weekend�s NCAA Division III championships in Hanover,
Ind.
The Pointer women
are making their 12th trip to nationals and are ranked third in the
final national poll. The men are appearing for the 17th time and are
ranked fourth. It is the eighth time in school history that both teams
qualified for nationals in the same year. Both teams also look to wrap
up the season the same way it started as the Pointers opened the year
by sweeping titles on the same course they�ll run this weekend at the
Hanover Invitational.
UW-Stevens Point�s
women�s team is undefeated against Division III competition this
season. The Pointers won the team title in seven of their eight meets,
including their first-ever Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference title and last weekend�s Midwest Regional. Their only
losses are to Northern Michigan, which is ranked fifth in Division II
and South Dakota, the seventh-ranked Division II squad.
The Pointers� best
all-time finish was a third place performance at the first-ever
national meet in 1981. They finished sixth in 1985 and 1992 for their
best efforts since.
The key to the
women�s success has been balance as just 34 seconds separated their
top five runners at the conference meet. Four different runners have
led the team in the last four meets, including junior Megan Craig, who
has been the top finisher four times. Sophomore Teresa Stanley was the
top finisher at the regional last week and sophomore Jenna Mitchler
was the top performer at the conference meet.
Junior Leah
Herlache missed the first half of the season, but has steadily
improved since returning and finished fifth at the conference meet.
Sophomore Ashleigh Potuznik, senior Isabelle Delannay and freshman
Ashley Earney finished among the top five on the team in meets this
season and provide quality depth at nationals.
The Pointer men�s
team has lost only once to a team not ranked in the top three of the
country this year, coming when they rested their top runners and lost
a dual meet to 17th-ranked UW-Whitewater.
UW-Stevens Point
placed second at the conference meet and third in the regional. Much
like the women�s team, the men also rely on balance as 35 seconds
separated the top five performers at the conference meet.
Senior Curt
Johnson is the team�s top runner and won the UW-Oshkosh Invite earlier
this season in a meet that featured the top four teams in the country.
He also placed third at the conference meet and second at the Notre
Dame Invite when the Pointers won the team title and beat the current
No. 1 team in the country, Calvin (Mich.).
Juniors Mark LaLonde and Andy Bednarek have been key contributors
along with freshman Adam Bucholz and senior James Levash. Sophomore
Brad Wick has also added depth to the lineup. The men�s team placed
11th at last year�s national meet. |
