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Cross Country
Teams Approach Nationals with Familiarity
The UW-Stevens Point men�s and women�s cross
country teams find themselves in a familiar position in more ways than
one.
Not only are both teams back at the NCAA
Division III national meet together for the third straight year, but
they�re running close to home at Whitetail Golf Course in Colfax where
they ran last year�s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference meet
and Division III Midwest Regional. It is the ninth time in school
history both teams have qualified in the same year.
The Pointer women�s team enters the meet as
one of the teams to beat, ranked third in the Division III national poll
behind defending champion Middlebury (Vt.) and Williams (Mass.).
UW-Stevens Point finished third at last year�s championships, marking
the only time they�ve lost to Division III opponents with their top
runners over the past two seasons. UW-Stevens Point is making its 13th
appearance at nationals and fifth in six years.
Leading the way is a trio of runners who have
raced closely together all season. Senior Megan Craig was second overall
at last weekend�s Midwest Regional and won the Division II Minnesota
Invitational, while junior Jenna Mitchler was fourth overall at the WIAC
championships and senior Leah Herlache was sixth at the conference meet
and seventh at the regional. Mitchler�s two best career 6,000-meter
times have been at Whitetail, including a 22:10 to win this year�s
pre-national meet.
However, it will likely be the fourth and
fifth runners who could lead the Pointers above their school-record
third place effort of last year. Junior Ashleigh Potuznik has had a
strong season and placed 12th in the conference, while senior Veronique
Van Gheem was 16th at the WIAC meet. Freshman Kallyn Peterson has also
emerged as one of the team�s top performers.
The meet will also be the final competition
for 21st-year head coach Len Hill, who was the WIAC coach of the year
the past two seasons and will retire following this season.
On the men�s side, senior Mark LaLonde will be
running up front and will contend for a high individual finish after
placing fourth at the Midwest Regional and 12th at last year�s national
meet. Senior Andy Bednarek was 13th at last week�s Midwest Regional and
was among the top performers on last year�s national runner-up squad.
The Pointers were ranked 11th in the final Division III rankings and are
making their 18th trip to nationals, including their fourth straight
appearance.
Sophomore Mike Ormond and junior Josh Kujawa
have emerged as two of the team�s top runners and juniors Adam Bucholz
and Jake Rhyner were key members of last year�s runner-up squad. |
