RELEASED:  Saturday, October 27, 2007

UW-Eau Claire Wins Women’s Cross Country Title

Winneconne, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire won the 2007 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) women’s cross country title at Lake Breeze Golf Course on Oct. 27.

The conference title for UW-Eau Claire is the third in school history and first since 1985.  The Blugolds also claimed the league crown in 1984.

UW-Eau Claire compiled 44 team points to outdistance UW-Platteville’s second-place total of 49 points.  UW-La Crosse, the two-time defending champion, finished third with 77, followed by UW-Oshkosh in fourth with 121, UW-Stevens Point fifth with 131, UW-River Falls sixth with 167, UW-Whitewater seventh with 193, UW-Stout eighth with 202 and UW-Superior ninth with 253.

UW-Oshkosh sophomore Alya Mitchell captured the individual title, completing the 6,000-meter course in 21:26.50 to nip UW-River Falls sophomore Becca Jordahl’s second-place time of 21:28.34.

UW-Oshkosh has had seven individuals combine to win 12 conference titles.  Mitchell is the first Titan to win the league spectacle since Liz Woodworth won back-to-back crowns in 2003 and 2004.

In this year’s race, UW-Eau Claire had five runners place in the top 14 to lead the winning team effort.  Junior Mary Palmer led the Blugold pack finishing fourth with a time of 22:15.88.  Senior Molly Warner placed fifth in 22:23.84, junior Beth Lutz ninth in 22:41.65, sophomore Hannah Humbach 12th in 22:53.03 and senior Amber Hertz 14th in 22:55.61.

UW-Platteville junior Jessica Scott was third in 21:51.70, UW-La Crosse sophomore Katelyn Williams sixth in 22:27.81, UW-Platteville junior Emma Dreis seventh in 22:32.01, UW-Platteville freshman Alli Tank eighth in 22:35.76, UW-Stevens Point senior Hannah Dieringer 10th in 22:43.89, UW-La Crosse sophomore Meghan Dugan 11th in 22:49.64 and UW-Platteville sophomore Eileen McGuine 13th in 22:54.16.

The top seven individuals received All-WIAC first team recognition, while runners placing eighth through 14th earned All-WIAC second team accolades.

UW-Eau Claire head coach Dan Schwamberger was named the coach of the year, while UW-Whitewater’s Ashley Pick received the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.

Named to the inaugural All-WIAC Sportsmanship Team were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Jenna Smith, UW-La Crosse’s Kristen Howe, UW-Oshkosh’s Jessie Scheer, UW-Platteville’s Amanda Topper, UW-River Falls’ Stacy Dekkers, UW-Stevens Point’s Kimberly Multerer, UW-Stout’s Charity Cook, UW-Superior’s Emily Dunning and UW-Whitewater’s Ashley Pick.  The team was selected for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season.  It included one member from each school as selected by that school.

All nine WIAC teams return to this very same course on Nov. 10 to compete at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional.  The NCAA Division III Championship is scheduled for Nov. 17 in Northfield, Minn.

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